THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


A  NATIVE  GIRL. 


Through  Luzon 

On 

Highways 

and 

Byways 


By 
WILLIS  BLISS  WILCOX 

Paymaster  U.  S.  N. 


FRANKLIN  BOOK  COMPANY 
Philadelphia 


Copyright  IQOI 
WILLIS  BLISS  W1LCOX 


IDS 


To  My  Faithful  Friend 

H.  P. 
This  Book  is  Dedicated. 


PREFACE. 

IT  may  seem  strange  to  the  average  mind,  that 
the  island  of  Luzon,  although  having  been  in 
Spanish  hands  for  so  many  years,  is  as  yet 
not  one-fourth  discovered. 

The  most  attractive  portions  of  the  island,  the 
foothills  and  mountains  of  the  interior,  are  unpen- 
etrated. 

The  legends  of  the  wild  tribes,  the  fierce  Igor- 
rotes  and  Negritos,  have  been  doubtless  the  bug- 
bear that  has  kept  inquiring  minds  away  from  the 
most  desirable  and  at  the  same  time  inaccessible 
places. 

It  cannot  be  long  before  the  venturesome 
American  will  go  into  the  provinces  of  Abra,  Le- 
pato,  Bontoc  and  Benguet  on  the  West,  and  Caga- 
yan  and  Nueva  Viscaya  on  the  East,  and  find  there 
in  the  fastnesses  of  the  cannibalistic  Igorrotes,  the 
verification  of  the  tales  of  reputed  wealth  in  mines 
of  gold  and  copper.  He  will  learn  at  least  that 
the  climate  is  salubrious,  and  amid  the  forests  of 
pine,  and  towering,  stately  tropical  trees,  realize 

vii 


viii  PREFACE. 

that  the  splendor  of  Luzon  is  hidden  in  the  ranges 
of  the  Cordilleras. 

In  due  time  the  country  will  become  reconciled 
to  a  higher  civilization,  but  the  process  of  regen- 
eration will  be  slow.  To  alter  their  nature  and 
make  them  forget  their  former  selves,  will  require 
time  and  patience.  The  native  will  remain  with  a 
Malay  tinge  for  generations,  and  I  quite  believe  it 
will  be  as  difficult  to  change  the  Tagalo  as  a  Hin- 
doo. For  this  reason  it  is  not  probable  that  the 
Filipinos  will  at  once  get  over  what  they  have 
learned  in  their  bondage  for  more  than  three  cen- 
turies and  a  half.  They  know  no  other  means  of 
governing  their  people  than  that  which  has  been 
taught  them.  They  must  have  new  laws — not  the 
Spanish  code — and  examples  of  faithfulness  and 
loyalty  to  the  country,  in  the  interest  of  a  general 
welfare  for  all.  The  strictly  native  I  consider  su- 
perior to  any  I  have  seen  in  Spanish  American 
countries,  certainly  more  so  than  those  of  Mexico, 
the  Argentine,  Paraguay  and  Uruguay. 

Frequent  intercourse  will  eventually  lead  to  the 
adoption  of  one  homogeneous  language,  where  at 
present  each  district  has  its  own  peculiar  dialect. 

The  building  of  a  railroad  through  the  interior 
from  Manila  to  Aparri  by  government  aid,  if  possi- 
ble, will  open  a  vast  area  of  wonderfully  productive 


PREFACE.  ix 

land.  The  establishment  of  post  offices,  where 
mails  are  frequent,  will  develop  an  interest  in  af- 
fairs of  each  province  and  the  central  government 
in  particular. 

Free  public  schools  in  every  town  and  village, 
such  as  reach  beyond  the  confines  of  mere  ecclesi- 
astical instruction,  is  of  first  and  greatest  import- 
ance. 

A  strong  protecting  hand  will  make  this  vast 
island  a  garden  spot  so  far  as  productiveness  is 
concerned,  and  unlock  its  storehouses  of  wealth. 
This  will  especially  be  true  when  taxation  is  fair 
and  equitable  and  when  the  inhabitants  can  be  sure 
that  the  fruits  of  their  industry  and  their  homes 
and  families  will  be  secure  from  molestation,  and 
the  many  ingenious  methods  heretofore  in  vogue 
will  not  again  be  put  in  operation  to  filch  from 
them  their  honest  gains. 

The  question  of  titles  to  landed  property  is  a 
serious  one,  and  doubtless  will  be  a  stumbling 
block  most  difficult  to  overcome.  This  is  well  un- 
derstood by  those  who  have  made  inquiries  with 
a  view  of  obtaining  possession  of  tracts  of  land  for 
cultivation. 

Any  information  that  is  added  to  the  general 
store  of  knowledge  of  Luzon  cannot  but  be  wel- 
comed. No  doubt  in  Madrid  there  exists  many 


x  PREFACE. 

volumes  concerning  the  island,  and  especially  those 
written  by  the  friars  who  have  been  so  long  and 
so  intimately  associated  with  all  classes  of  the  in- 
habitants. This  valuable  collection  may  be  trans- 
lated at  no  distant  day. 

While  confining  my  description  to  the  ground 
that  I  have  personally  been  over,  I  have  tried  to 
make  it  typical  of  the  whole,  so  that  the  book, 
though  it  does  not  describe  the  whole  of  Luzon, 
may  yet  present  an  intelligible  picture  of  the  coun* 
try. 

I  am  under  great  obligations  to  Gen.  McArthur, 
Gen.  Whittier  and  Major  Bement,  of  the  army,  for 
a  part  of  my  equipment,  horses,  saddles,  etc.,  and 
especially  to  Admiral  Dewey  for  permitting  me  to 
make  the  journey.  W.  B.  W, 

Pensacola,  Florida,  March,  1901. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

In  Old  Manila 17 

From  Bayombong  to  Carranglan 32 

Crossing  the  Caraballos 69 

The  Valley  of  the  Rio  Magat 82 

From  Bayombong  to  Carig 95 

Ilagan — the  Capital  of  Isabela 1 18 

Down  the  Rio  Grande  to  Aparri 132 

From  Aparri  to  Salomague 142 

Vigan — Capital  of  Ilocos  Sur 152 

Along  the  West  Coast 163 

The  Province  of  Benguet 175 

The  Military  Element 193 

In  Conclusion 200 

Appendix    214 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE. 

A  Native  Girl Frontispiece. 

The  Luneta  at  Manila 23 

A  Street  Scene  in  Manila 34 

Bridge  Across  Pasig  River  at  Manila 39 

A  Street  Scene  in  Malate 58 

A  Typical  Home  in  the  Country 75 

A  Negrito   94 

A  Spanish  Mestiza in 

A  Native  Caromata 147 

Fishing  on  the  Rio  Grande 166 

Manner  of  Handling  Carabao  on  the  Road 171 

A  Casco  with  Natives  Fishing 182 

A  Native  Fruit  Carrier 187 

Ploughing  with  the  Carabao 206 

A  Street  Scene  from  the  Foothills 211 

A  Type  of  Native 222 


ziii 


(Copy  of  Better  from  Admiral  Dewey.) 


No.  1416—8. 

UNITED  STATES  NAVAL  FORGE  ON  ASIATIC 
STATION. 

Flagship  Olympia, 

CAVITE,  P.  1.,  November  27, 1898. 

SIR:— 

1.  1  have  to  acknowledge  the  report  prepared  by  Paymaster 
W.  B.  Wilcox,  and  Naval  Cadet,  L.  R.  Sargent,  of  the  vessel 
under  your  command,  on  their  recent  journey  through  the  Island 
of  Luzon. 

2.  You  will  please  express  to  these  officers  my  highest  com- 
mendation for  their  thoroughness  of  observation,  and  for  the 
care  and  ability  shown  in  the  preparation  of  this  valuable  report. 

Very  respectfully, 
(Signed)    GEORGE  DEWEY, 

Rear  Admiral  U.  S.  Navy, 
Commanding  U.  S.  Naval  Force  on  Asiatic  Station. 

The  Commanding  Officer, 

U.  S.  S.  Monadnock, 
Cavite,  P.  I. 


(Copy  of  the  endorsement  of  Admiral  Dewey  forwarding  the  report  made 
to  him  of  the  journey  described  in  the  following  pages.) 


FLAGSHIP  OLYMPIA, 

CAVITE,  P.  I.,  December  i,  1898. 

Approved  and  respectfully  forwarded  for  the  information  of 
the  Navy  Department. 

Especial  attention  is  invited  to  this  interesting  and  carefully 
prepared  report,  which,  In  my  opinion,  contains  the  most  com- 
plete and  reliable  information  obtainable  in  regard  to  the  present 
state  of  the  northern  part  of  Luzon  Island. 

(Signed)        GEORGE  DEWEY, 

Rear  Admiral,  U.  S.  N., 
Commanding  Asiatic  Station. 


'CHAPTER  I. 
IN  OLD  MANILA: 

IN  the  old  city  of  Manila,  on  April  30,  1898,  wHen 
the  cathedral  bells  had  sounded  the  last  Ave 
Maria  upon  Spanish  regime  that  had  for  more 
than  three  centuries  and  a  half  dominated  the  Phil- 
ippines by  means  peculiar  to  itself  alone,  the  cur- 
tain dropped   upon  the  scene  in   the  last  act   of 
Spain's  colonial  greatness,  and  upon  a  nation  that 
had  given  so  much  to  the  world  by  its  discoveries 
of  the  now  important  parts  of  the  globe. 

The  glory  and  magnificence  that  had  held  full 
sway  in  the  capital  of  the  Philippines  in  the  early 
part  of  the  nineteenth  century  are  being  rapidly  re- 
placed by  a  realistic,  latter-day  civilization.  The 
small,  old  walled  city  on  banks  of  Pasig  river,  with 
moats  and  castellated  towers  and  dungeons  that 
gave  ample  security  for  the  perpetration  of  all 
kinds  of  intrigues,  contained  seventeen  religious, 
seventeen  official  and  ten  military  edifices,  cover- 
ing^ more  than  half  the  total  area  within  its  walls. 

»7 


i8  THROUGH    LUZON. 

The  remote  situation  of  the  islands,  and  the  fact 
of  their  being  so  little  known,  and  of  less  interest 
to  the  outside  world,  gave  those  in  official  position 
ample  opportunity  to  indulge  the  full  bent  of  their 
inclination,  which  they  considered  adequate  recom- 
pense for  their  exile  in  a  country  inhabited  by  a 
not  over-civilized  race  of  people. 

At  this  time  the  Governor-General  was  supreme 
and  his  advisers  consisted  of  the  Archbishop  of 
Manila,  the  military  and  naval  commanders,  and 
various  other  official  chiefs,  which  gave  him  a  pow- 
er as  absolute  as  the  nature  of  the  individual 
wished  to  exercise.  The  number  of  Spaniards  who 
came  from  the  Peninsula  was  limited,  and  those 
who  received  appointment  to  the  colony  saw  the 
years  pass  tranquilly,  in  quietude,  contentment 
and  happiness. 

Nothing  disturbed  the  continual  round  of  ease 
but  fiesta  dias,  which  are  always  numerous  enough 
in  Spanish  countries.  The  Governor-General  ap- 
peared in  public  in  all  the  splendor  of  his  rank,  and 
when  he  moved  about  the  city  he  was  constantly 
surrounded  by  officers  and  others  of  the  military 
force,  clothed  in  all  the  gorgeousness  that  could 
be  displayed.  The  nights  were  made  brilliant  with 
social  gatherings  when  women  and  men  donned 
the  finest  raiment  peculiar  to  their  sex,  making  the 


IN    OLD    MANILA.  19 

scene  animated  and  intoxicating  and  the  hours 
slip  away  unnoticed.  All  this  prodigality  of  dis- 
play was  intended  to,  and  resulted  in,  impressing 
the  native  mind  with  awe  and  admiration.  For 
indolence  and  lack  of  energy  the  climate  made 
ample  excuse.  There  was  no  thought  of  the  mor- 
row, no  care  for  the  inhabitants,  only  in  so  far  as 
they  served  their  uses  as  attendants  and  provided 
the  products  of  the  soil,  for  which  the  only  return 
was  the  empty  honor  of  serving  their  masters. 

The  various  religious  orders,  Augustines,  Domi- 
nicans and  Franciscans,  were  the  first  to  penetrate 
the  interior  and  establish  their  missions  among  the 
naturales,  and  the  books  published  by  them  gave  a 
more  minute  description  of  the  people  and  their 
manner  of  living  than  any  that  had  heretofore  been 
written,  but  during  all  the  years  of  Spanish  con- 
trol there  was  little  done  by  that  government  to 
bring  the  resources  and  productions  of  the  country 
up  to  a  level  even  with  that  of  China. 

With  the  opening  of  closer  communication  by 
the  Suez  Canal,  and  by  cable,  more  Europeans  ar- 
rived, and  in  time  the  new  city  of  Manila,  across 
the  Pasig,  grew  into  importance,  and  to-day  is 
modern  in  many  ways.  Living  is  not  so  dreadful 
as  it  might  seem  to  be  in  a  tropical  country,  and 
with  reasonable  caution  there  need  not  be  much 


ao  THROUGH    LUZON. 

fear  of  endemic  diseases.  The  natural  thrift  of  the 
Englishman  has  added  much  to  make  one's  so- 
journ in  Manila  more  attractive  than  it  would  oth- 
erwise be.  There  is  the  English  Club,  the  Tiffin 
Club,  Jockey  Club,  grounds  for  tennis  and  cricket, 
and  many  other  customs  and  ideas  which  an  Eng- 
lishman invariably  packs  as  part  of  his  luggage 
when  he  leaves  home  for  a  colonial  residence. 
There  are  also  other  means  of  recreation.  In  the 
early  evening  along  the  Luneta,  when  all  that  is 
beautiful  and  fashionable  pass  and  repass  in  hand- 
somely equipped  Victorias  and  on  horseback, 
which,  with  the  recent  arrivals  in  carromates  and 
quiles,  make  a  picturesque  and  animated  line  of 
turnouts  for  two  hours,  during  the  coolest  portion 
of  the  day.  The  hotels  are  well  furnished  and  the 
food  is  such  that  one,  not  over  particular,  can  sat- 
isfy his  appetite  wholesomely  by  forgetting  that 
there  are  better  things  elsewhere.  Most  of  the  im- 
portant commercial  houses,  as  well  as  the  only 
railroad  from  Manila  to  Dagupan,  are  managed  by 
Englishmen. 

One  does  not  so  much  mind  the  rainy  season, 
which  extends  from  June  until  late  in  November, 
as  during  those  months  the  freshness  occasioned 
by  frequent  and  abundant  showers  lowers  the  tem- 
perature many  degrees.  The  months  of  March, 


IN    OLD    MANILA.  21 

April  and  May  are  hot  and  dry,  while  from  No- 
vember to  February  it  is  dry,  but  more  temperate. 
In  these  three  climatic  divisions  of  the  year  the 
cool  season  has  an  average  of  71  degrees  F.,  with 
34  rainy  days ;  the  hot  and  dry,  87  degrees,  with  30 
days  of  rain;  the  wet  84  degrees,  with  72  rainy 
days;  a  total  of  136  days  with  55.11  inches  of  rain- 
fall, and  an  extreme  range  in  temperature  of  only 
1 6  degrees  for  the  entire  year. 

During  the  early  morning  Manila  is  full  of  busi- 
ness life  and  excitement,  to  which  is  added  the 
happy  throng  of  well-dressed  native  women  going 
to  and  returning  from  mass;  but  at  noon  the  city 
has  the  aspect  of  a  deserted  village ;  the  major  por- 
tion of  the  merchant  class  take  a  siesta  until  two  or 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  the  city  is 
again  enlivened  for  the  rest  of  the  day. 

In  mingling  with  the  many  English  and  Philip- 
pine residents  whom  I  had  met  in  the  latter  part  of 
1898,  I  made  frequent  inquiries  about  the  interior, 
its  people,  its  lands  and  productions,  but  found  the 
statements  not  what  I  desired  in  definiteness,  with 
most  of  the  information  dependent  upon  not  alto- 
gether too  reliable  sources.  It  was,  indeed,  so  un- 
satisfactory that  I  concluded  that  a  tour  through 
the  heart  of  the  island  would  repay  all  the  effort 
and  hardship  incidental  to  a  close  investigation  of 
a  new  and  interesting  country. 


M  THROUGH    LUZON. 

When  Luzon  in  its  magnificence  and  extent  is 
generally  known  to  comprise  68,932  square  miles, 
with  an  extreme  length  from  northwest  to  south- 
east of  480  miles,  and  a  population  of  3,500,000,  it 
will  be  readily  seen  what  a  vast  territory  remains 
to  be  fully  explored.  While  this  is  in  progress, 
each  year  will  add  much  to  the  general  knowledge 
of  the  country,  and  will  result  in  great  benefit  to  all 
who  may  seek  that  locality  as  a  place  for  occupa- 
tion and  to  share  in  the  many  developments  which 
will  rapidly  follow  the  peaceful  possession  by  the 
United  States. 

The  many  discouragements  to  be  encountered  in 
making  an  extended  tour  through  Luzon,  as  shown 
by  the  route  on  the  map  in  the  front  of  this  book, 
seemed  to  crop  up  on  every  hand,  and  the  proba- 
bilities of  success  were  not  inviting.  Many  of  the 
residents  of  Manila  to  whom  my  proposed  journey 
was  made  known  did  not  encourage  the  undertak- 
ing. They  said  the  difficulties  lay  in  the  holding  of 
the  interior  by  the  Filipino  insurgents,  who  would 
not  wish  to  assist  any  foreigner  in  an  investiga- 
tion of  the  country,  and  then  there  were  the  fierce 
and  cannibalistic  Igorrotes  and  Negritos,  whose 
chief  occupation  was  head-hunting,  and,  while  con- 
templating my  journey,  I  frequently  imagined  my- 


IN   OLD    MANILA.  *$ 

self  threatened  with  being  eaten  alive  in  the  wilds 
of  the  province  of  Nueva  Vizcaya. 

In  October,  1898,  the  American  military  con- 
trol was  effective  only  in  Manila  and  Cavite.  The 
insurgents,  under  Aguinaldo,  who  had  proclaimed 
himself  President  of  the  whole  archipelago,  im- 
mediately after  Dewey's  victory,  were  supposedly 
in  complete  possession  of  every  part  of  the  Island 
outside  of  these  two  cities,  and  their  lines  were  so 
close  to  the  outposts  of  our  army  that  their  people 
could  at  times  converse  with  our  soldiers.  Gen- 
eral Otis's  authority  did  not  extend  much  beyond 
a  three-mile  radius  from  the  center  of  Manila, 
while  Admiral  Dewey  held  and  operated  the  Navy 
Yard  at  Cavite.  Even  the  country  between  Ma- 
nila and  Cavite  was  in  the  hands  of  Aguinaldo,  so 
much  so  that  our  officers  had  been  refused  per- 
mission to  land  at  any  intermediate  point  by  water, 
and  were  prohibited  from  traversing  the  distance 
by  road. 

With  this  knowledge  in  my  possession  I  returned 
on  board  the  "Monadnock"  one  evening  and  un- 
folded my  plans  to  Naval  Cadet  L.  R.  Sargent,  a 
young  man  who,  though  slight  in  build,  I  knew 
had  more  courage  and  endurance  than  any  other 
person  whom  I  could  wish  to  accompany  me.  He 
was  not  only  willing,  but  full  of  enthusiasm  and 


26  THROUGH    LUZON. 

anxiety  to  go.  The  most  serious  and  real  obstacle 
in  the  way  of  carrying  out  our  scheme  was  the 
necessary  leave  of  absence.  We  had  made  a  sketch 
on  a  small  map  showing  the  country  we  intended 
passing  through,  and  sent  it  to  Captain  Whiting, 
then  commanding  the  "Monadnock,"  who  referred 
it  to  Admiral  Dewey  with  a  favorable  endorse- 
ment, which  implied  much  significance  in  the  furth- 
erance of  our  cause.  When  the  application  was  re- 
turned from  the  Admiral  with  his  approval  and  an 
order  to  make  a  full  report  to  him,  it  was  with  the 
greatest  delight  and  fondest  hopes  that  we  began 
the  preparation  of  the  arrangements  necessary  for 
such  an  undertaking,  which  consisted  in  providing 
ourselves  with  horses,  guns,  tents  and  food. 

At  this  juncture  I  was  unavoidably  detained  on 
board  the  vessel  for  two  days,  but  in  the  meantime 
Mr.  Sargent,  through  his  acquaintance  with  Major 
Bement,  of  the  army,  was  busy  getting  together 
horses  and  equipments.  Three  of  these  animals 
were  obtained .  from  the  army  stock,  and  five  of 
them  I  bought  in  the  open  market.  The  tents  and 
saddles  were  loaned  from  the  stores  captured  from 
the  Spaniards.  During  our  trip  I  found  these  old- 
fashioned  equipments  so  cumbersome  that  each  day 
I  was  obliged  to  cut  away  such  portions  as  1 
deemed  useless  and  unnecessary,  and  at  the  end  of 


IN   OLD    MANILA.  27 

our  journey,  when  these  mutilated  articles  were  re- 
turned to  army  headquarters,  I  feared  lest  my  ac- 
tion was  not  appreciated,  and  was  uncertain  as  to 
the  advisability  of  making  inquiries  in  that  direc- 
tion. 

I  left  the  ship  on  the  6th  of  October  and  went  to 
the  hotel  Lalla  Ary,  in  Manila,  from  which  place 
the  expedition  was  to  start  on  the  8th  of  the  month. 
Mr.  Sargent  had  gone  to  Malolos  with  letters  from 
Consul  General  Williams  and  General  McArthur 
relative  to  obtaining  passes  for  our  expedition  from 
Aguinaldo.  As  these  letters  were  not  addressed 
to  Aguinaldo  personally,  for  obvious  reasons,  he 
declined  to  grant  our  request.  Another  trip  to 
Malolos  became  necessary,  and  Sargent  spent  a 
day  and  a  night  there,  joining  me  at  Bayambang 
on  Sunday  night. 

Aguinaldo  is  a  bright  man  in  every  way,  young, 
with  great  force  of  character,  ambitious,  and  he 
dominates  all  around  him  with  a  power  that  seems 
peculiar  to  himself.  I  had  seen  him  at  Cavite  Vie- 
jo,  but  unfortunately  had  no  personal  conversation 
with  him.  He  adroitly  read  between  the  lines  that 
the  government  of  the  United  States  did  not  then, 
nor  would  it  at  any  future  time,  recognize  his  au- 
thority. 

Sargent  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  second  inter- 


a8  THROUGH    LUZON. 

view  with  Aguinaldo's  officials  concerning  the 
greatly  desired  passes,  but  with  every  courtesy 
Aguinaldo  declined  to  give  the  protection  of  his 
consent  to  permit  us  to  penetrate  the  interior,  on 
account  of  the  responsibility  he  might  assume  in 
assuring  us  of  safety  from  injury  or  death  in  locali- 
ties where  his  loyalty  might  be  questionable.  In 
addition  to  these  difficulties  was  the  oft-repeated 
bugbear  of  the  untamed  and  terrible  Igorrotes  of 
the  mountains,  by  whom  even  Spanish  civilization 
had  not  yet  been  adopted.  We  heard  this  perpet- 
ually from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  journey, 
and  when  I  saw  these  aborigines  personally,  they 
did  not  terrify  me  half  as  much  as  I  had  been  led  to 
believe  they  would. 

Mr.  Sargent,  however,  obtained  from  Aguinaldo 
an  assent  to  the  trip,  and  only  a  verbal  guarantee 
of  the  protection  of  his  soldiers,  from  among  whom 
he  formed  and  offered  a  guard  for  our  escort  which 
was  neither  declined  nor  accepted.  He  professed 
to  stand  in  great  awe  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  and  seemed  to  have  a  serious  regard  for  his 
wrath  or  approval,  and  was  apprehensive  lest  any 
disaster  to  us  would  reflect  upon  the  security  of 
Americans  in  the  different  provinces  of  Luzon.  All 
this  was  but  an  ingenious  way  of  dissuading  us 
from  proceeding,  and  although  thus  handicapped 


IN   OLD    MANILA.  29 

we  decided  to  press  forward  until  we  could  go  no 
farther. 

I  took  as  an  outfit  eight  horses,  saddles  and 
tents;  five  native  servants,  one  Winchester  rifle, 
one  Mauser  and  one  Remington,  two  navy  revolv- 
ers, one  shot  gun,  axes  and  hatchets  and  a  coil  of 
rope  for  use  in  crossing  streams.  Blankets,  four 
sailor's  clothes  bags;  some  quinine  and  laudanum 
were  also  stored  away.  For  food  we  took  only 
twenty  five  pounds  of  bacon,  twenty-five  pounds  of 
hardtack,  five  pounds  of  tea,  and  what  cooking 
utensils  we  deemed  indispensable;  but  I  hoped  to 
supply  any  deficiency  in  our  larder  by  foraging  on 
the  country  as  we  proceeded,  as  game  was  said  to 
be  quite  plentiful.  Everything  was  loaded  into  the 
cars  of  the  Manila-Dagupan  Railroad  on  Saturday, 
October  8th,  for  transportation  to  Bayambang,  in 
the  province  of  Pangasinan.  I  carried  a  letter  of 
introduction  from  General  Charles  Whittier,  of  the 
United  States  Army,  to  a  Mr.  Clark,  of  Bayam- 
bang, who  was  then  in  charge  of  the  rice  mill  of 
Smith,  Bell  &  Co.  of  Manila,  with  whom  I  found 
a  welcome  and  most  generous  hospitality  for  my- 
self and  attendants.  He  was  entertaining  a  num- 
ber of  officers  of  the  English  navy  from  her  Majes- 
ty's ship  "Powerful,"  and  Sunday  was  spent  in  a 
most  agreeable  and  comfortable  manner  without  a 


3°  THROUGH    LUZON. 

thought  of  the  hardship's  which  were  to  begin  with 
the  early  morning's  start. 

The  railway  from  Manila  to  Dagupan,i2O  miles, 
an  English  corporation,  traverses  the  richest  and 
most  populous  part  of  Luzon,  passing  through  the 
provinces  of  Manila,  with  300,000  population ;  Bul- 
acan,  239,221 ;  Pampanga,  223,902;  Tarlac,  89,339, 
and  Pangasinan,  302,178,  or  nearly  one-third  the 
total  population  of  the  whole  island.  In  this  dis- 
tance the  railroad  crosses  first  the  Rio  Grande 
Pampanga,  emptying  into  the  Bay  of  Manila,  and 
next  the  Rio  Agno,  which  flows  in  a  northly  direc- 
tion into  the  Gulf  of  Lingayen.  Both  rivers  are 
most  important  means  of  transportation  for  the 
timber  found  on  the  thickly  wooded  banks,  and  the 
various  products  from  the  five  provinces  which 
they  drain.  With  136  rainy  days  in  the  year  there 
is  certainly  always  plenty  of  water,  and  the  numer- 
ous other  important  rivers  of  Luzon  offer  induce- 
ment for  enterprise  in  carrying  the  increasing  traf- 
fic, by  means  of  shallow  stern-wheel  steamers.  This 
industry  will  reach  surprising  proportions  in  a  few 
years.  The  Rio  Grande  de  Cagayan,  which 
courses  through  this  vast  territory,  will  have  es- 
pecial attention  in  another  chapter. 

The  Manila-Dagupan  Railroad  has  been  exceed- 
ingly profitably  in  past  years,  even  in  competition 


IN   OLD    MANILA. 

with  the  water  route.  It  is  well  built,  having  steel 
bridges  and  stone  embankments,  heavy  rails  and 
excellent  equipment.  The  General  Manager,  Mr. 
Higgins,  invited  me  into  his  private  car  for  the  trip. 
His  long,  hard  work  has  resulted  in  building  a  rail- 
road which  reflects  great  credit  upon  himself  and 
his  company.  The  projection  of  the  road  yet  un- 
built, leads  along  the  coast  from  Dagupan  to  the 
extreme  north  of  the  island  in  the  province  of  Ilo- 
cos  Norte,  the  construction  of  which,  no  doubt, 
will  shortly  follow  the  return  of  peace  among  the 
inhabitants.  Quick  transportation  is  most  essen- 
tial in  stimulating  production  as  well  as  in  spread- 
ing information  that  will  convince  the  native  of  the 
benefits  of  good  government  and  encourage  them 
in  habits  of  thrift  and  industry. 


CHAPTER  II. 

FROM  BAYAMBANG  TO  CARRANGLAN. 

BRIGHT  and  early  on  Monday  morning,  Oc- 
tober 10,  in  a  drizzling  rain,  I  had  the  pack 
horses  ready,  and  just  before  starting  Mr. 
Clark  gave  me  little  assurance  of  rapid  progress. 
I  had  thought  of  covering  about  twenty-five  miles 
a  day,  but  he  curbed  my  impetuosity  somewhat 
when  he  remarked,  "Your  pace  will  be  that  of  your 
slowest  pack  horse,"  and  subsequently  turned  out 
that  he  was  correct.  I  did  not  figure  on  the  Span- 
ish pack  saddles,  which  were  seemingly  made  for 
no  other  purpose  than  to  tear  the  hide  from  the 
horses'  backs  and  keep  an  open  sore.  After  I  had 
mounted  into  the  saddle,  Mr.  Clark  with  a  know- 
ing smile,  said:  "You  won't  be  allowed  to  go  far, 
and  when  you  return  in  a  day  or  two,  you  will  find 
open  house."  Many  times  during  the  trying  days 
which  followed  I  recalled  his  words,  and  my 
thoughts  reverted  longingly  to  the  "open  house. 

3* 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.        35 

The  small  village  of  Alcola,  in  Pangasinan,  six 
miles  distant,  was  reached  at  noon,  and  here 
opened  out  my  first  view  of  the  interior.  The  rain 
had  ceased,  the  sun  shown  down  with  burning 
fierceness,  but  the  roads  were  seas  of  mud.  Horses 
were  of  little  use  for  riding;  it  was  all  the  poor 
beasts  could  do  to  carry  their  heavy  saddles,  with- 
out an  extra  210  pounds  in  the  shape  of  my  per- 
son. Sometimes  a  mile  or  so  of  dry  land  was 
found,  and  at  others  I  was  compelled  to  dismount 
and  wade  through  a  stretch  of  sticky  clay  in  which 
I  became  mired  and  stuck  fast,  and  from  which  I 
had  to  be  assisted.  I  had  thought  myself  wise  and 
prudent  in  buying  a  pair  of  heavy  leather  boots 
while  in  Manila — long  ones,  that  reached  to  my 
knees — and  I  stuck  to  them  only  until  I  found  a 
native  with  a  pair  of  old  shoes,  when  I  quickly 
made  a  trade.  The  reader  can  imagine  the  weight 
of  such  a  pair  of  boots  when  soaked  with  water 
and  covered  with  mud,  and  the  fatigue  and  discom- 
fort of  walking  in  them  when  the  sun  shines  out 
fiercely  after  a  heavy  shower.  My  native  men  did 
not  burden  themselves  with  any  covering  for  their 
feet,  and  provided  extremely  little  clothing  for 
their  bodies,  so  that,  when  these  long  sloughs  were 
met,  it  was  a  comparatively  easy  matter  for  them 
to  get  through.  Upon  the  road,  which  was  at 


36  THROUGH    LUZON. 

times  sufficiently  wide  to  admit  of  our  passing  each 
other,  we  met  many  carts  loaded  with  rice,  hauled 
by  the  useful  and  indispensable  caribao,  or  water 
buffalo,  an  animal  much  more  at  home  in  rivers  and 
mud  puddles  than  on  dry  land,  and  seemingly  es- 
pecially designed  by  Providence  for  work  in  a 
country  the  soil  of  which  is  most  of  the  time  sub- 
merged in  a  sheet  of  water.  The  caribao  is  a  tre- 
mendously powerful  animal,  as  the  illustration  giv- 
en here  will  show.  Without  him  the  Luzonos 
would  be  utterly  helpless  in  the  cultivation  of  their 
fields. 

"It  is  very  common,"  says  Francisco  Jiminez, 
"to  see  in  the  hour  of  siesta,  under  the  shade  of  a 
tree  or  hut,  the  caribao  masticating  patiently  a  mis- 
erable piece  of  sugar  cane  and  the  owner  talking 
tenderly  to  the  animal  in  most  affectionate  sen- 
tences. A  mysterious  sympathy  unites  the  caribao 
and  native,  the  beast  comprehending  all  the  words 
of  his  master  and  indicating  his  wishes  in  all  his 
movements.  When  being  loaded,  and  the  weight 
increasing  too  much,  he  indicates  this  by  expres- 
sions in  long  snorts  that  it  is  sufficient.  The  owner, 
being  short,  the  caribao  voluntarily  goes  down  on 
his  knees  to  enable  the  native  to  mount.  Those 
with  sufficient  knowledge  assert  that  the  only  fam- 
ily of  the  Filipino  consists  of  the  caribao  and  game 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.        37 

cock.  Upon  these  he  lavishes  his  fondness,  and 
his  indolent,  egotistic  character  finds  only  in  them 
a  veritable  necessity  for  his  life." 

Campaigning  for  the  army  in  the  provinces  of 
Tarlac,  Pangasinan  and  Neuva  Ecija,  if  it  must  be 
carried  on  for  any  length  of  time,  will  be  found 
very  difficult,  as  little  headway  can  be  made 
through  rice  fields  almost  constantly  under  water 
and  roads  so  frequently  impassable.  A  design 
made  by  Captain  Hahn  of  the  U.  S.  Engineers  at 
Manila,  (which  I  had  the  pleasure  of  examining), 
for  moving  ammunition  and  supplies  for  troops  in 
just  such  a  country,  impressed  me  as  quite  the 
thing.  It  was  a  square,  steel  water-tight  box,  6  feet 
in  length,  4  feet  wide  and  5  feet  high,  which  was  to 
be  placed  upon  runners  on  dry  land,  and  hauled 
through  the  deep,  wet  places  by  caribao,  its  weight 
sinking  it,  but  protecting  the  articles  within  by 
water  tight  joints. 

Though  this  stretch  of  country  is  low,  it  is  ad- 
mirably suited  for  rice  cultivation,  which  has  re- 
cently been  resumed  after  long  neglect  during  the 
insurrection  against  Spain,  and  because  of  its  pecul- 
iar adaptability  for  this  product,  the  soil  could  not 
be  turned  to  other  agricultural  account  with  so 
great  a  profit.  At  intervals  along  our  paths  were  to 
be  seen  native  huts,  whose  occupants  were  indus- 


38  THROUGH    LUZON. 

triously  pounding  out  rice  from  palay,  as  it  is  called 
when  cut  from  the  ground  and  secured  in  bunches 
eight  inches  in  length.  Rice  is  the  first  and  most 
important  article  of  food  grown,  and  more  than 
100  different  varieties  are  known,  distinguished  by 
color,  size,  taste  and  application.  The  variety 
called  Quinamalig  is  early,  and  produces  a  harvest 
in  three  months,  and,  with  the  later  kinds,  two 
crops  a  year  are  raised.  The  ordinary  value  of 
clean  rice  is  about  $1.00  for  133  pounds.  The  to- 
tal production  is  not  sufficient  for  the  wants  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  island  by  thousands  of  tons,  the 
deficiency  being  imported,  mostly  from  Saigon. 

Resting  for  a  light  lunch  at  Alcola,  a  large  num- 
ber of  the  inhabitants  gathered  about  us  from  curi- 
osity, and  I  gained  as  much  satisfaction  from  my 
point  of  view  as  did  they.  All  ages  and  both  sexes 
were  represented.  Some  of  the  men  were  dressed 
conventionally  with  their  shirts  hanging  loosely 
outside  their  trousers,  but  the  more  important  ele- 
ment wore  neat  fitting  military  blouses,  hats  and 
shoes.  The  women  were  attired  in  the  Tagalo  cos- 
tume: A  large  piece  of  any  colored  light  cloth 
draped  from  the  hips  down  to  somewhat  below  the 
knees,  showing  a  white  petticoat  beneath,  and  a 
loose  thin  white  blouse  with  low  neck  and  short 
sleeves.  The  youngest  of  both  sexes  in  ages  up 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.        41 

to  six  and  seven  years,  had  added  nothing  to  their 
stock  of  birthday  clothing.  The  people  were  all 
very  respectful  and  polite  and  offered  the  hospital- 
ity of  their  homes,  but  at  that  time  I  preferred  the 
open  air  and  the  shade  of  an  inviting  spot  on  the 
banks  of  a  small  stream.  It  was,  perhaps,  a  mis- 
take to  neglect  to  take  a  long  siesta  during  the 
heat  of  the  day — a  custom  which  even  Americans 
will  fall  into  when  its  advantages  are  learned — but 
I  was  impatient  to  press  ahead,  and,  if  possible, 
reach  Resales  by  nightfall.  No  telling  what  the 
roads  would  be,  and  there  was  not  much  reliable 
information  to  be  had  from  the  natives,  who  made 
but  a  few  miles  a  day  and  camped  anywhere  at 
night,  indifferent  as  to  when  they  reached  their 
destination.  On  the  banks  of  the  rivers  are  usually 
found  small  shelters  made  of  bamboo  poles  and 
nipa,  or  palms,  where  the  easy-going  natives  camp 
for  days  at  a  time  while  waiting  for  the  flooded 
streams  to  subside. 

Proceeding  nearly  due  east  along  the  banks  of 
the  Rio  Agno,  I  found  the  roads  at  times  impassa- 
ble, and  frequently  had  to  turn  out  and  follow  a 
trail  that  led  through  heavy  brush,  and  on  one  oc- 
casion my  horse,  after  struggling  through  a  stretch 
of  deep  marsh  dropped  down  exhausted,  and,  I 
thought,  dying, -but  he  was  soon  restored  by  the 
3 


4»  THROUGH    LUZON. 

application  of  water  and  vigorous  fanning.  This 
road  is  the  only  avenue  of  communication  between 
the  towns,  consequently  the  natives  see  very  little 
of  each  other  during  the  wet  spells.  Had  it  not 
been  for  press  of  time  and  a  promise  of  good  roads 
when  in  the  mountains,!  am  sure  I  should  have  lost 
my  courage  and  determination  to  finally  get 
through.  At  sundown  a  fairly  desirable  spot  was 
selected  for  camp,  and,  though  only  about  one  mile 
from  Rosales,  I  decided  on  account  of  darkness 
and  fatigue  to  rest  for  the  night.  A  tent  was  soon 
pitched,  horses  tethered  and  supper  prepared, 
which  consisted  of  fried  bacon,  hard  tack  and  tea, 
and  which  was  heartily  relished  by  all. 

Soon  after  making  camp  we  were  visited  Sy  offi- 
cial representatives  from  the  "Presidente  Local"  of 
Rosales,  who  extended  a  most  cordial  welcome  and 
hearty  invitation  to  come  into  town  and  enjoy  bet- 
ter comfort  and  conveniences  for  further  progress. 
I  was  grateful  for  this  kindness,  the  more  so  be- 
cause it  was  unexpected,  and  in  such  striking  con- 
trast to  the  feeling  I  was  led  to  anticipate.  Mos- 
quitoes were  plentiful,  but  being  worn  out  I  rested 
upon  the  ground  without  disturbance  until  morn- 
ing. By  daylight  all  hands  were  up  and  busy 
packing  equipments,  and  after  enjoying  the  same 
menu  as  on  the  night  before,  proceeded  into  town. 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.        43 

I  learned  here  that  it  is  the  invariable  custom  for 
strangers  to  immediately  call  upon  the  "Presidente 
Local"  on  entering  the  place,  and  this  I  made 
haste  to  do,  anxious  to  meet  these  people  half  way 
in  the  cordial  and  receptive  feeling  they  appeared 
to  have  for  us.  At  this  time  all  the  local  govern- 
ment of  the  different  towns  was  in  the  hands  of 
Aguinaldo's  adherents,  and  on  reaching  the  house 
of  the  "Presidente,"  I  was  met  by  him  and  his  offi- 
cials, and  found  that  our  arrival  had  been  expected. 
They  regretted  that  we  had  stopped  on  the  out- 
skirts of  the  town  the  previous  night,  and  seemed 
fearful  lest  the  discomforts  we  experienced  might 
reflect  upon  their  hospitality.  These  officials  were 
all  neatly  attired  in  military  dress,  with  the  distin- 
guishing insignia  of  rank — a  cane  with  a  gold  head 
and  a  red  tassel  for  the  "President,"  the  same  for 
the  others,  but  with  a  silver  head  and  green  tassel. 
Their  manners  were  polite  and  I  found  their  con- 
versation agreeable  and  friendly.  The  "Presi- 
dente" had  undoubtedly  received  instructions  from 
Aguinaldo  to  send  a  military  escort  with  us  beyond 
Rosales,  which  was  continued  by  relays  all  the  way 
to  Aparri.  There  was  little  or  no  choice  in  the 
matter  of  the  acceptance  of  this  protection,  and  I 
readily  received  it  for  the  security  and  the  shade 


44  THROUGH    LUZON. 

of  official  recognition  it  might  lend  to  me  as  I  pro- 
ceeded. 

Just  before  leaving  the  place  an  old  Tagalo,  a 
man  whom  I  had  selected  in  Manila,  commenced 
to  weaken  on  the  prospects  of  such  a  long  journey 
and  after  telling  him,  in  the  presence  of  the  others 
that  I  only  wanted  men  of  fearlessness  and  endur- 
ance, I  paid  him  off  and  sent  him  back  upon  a 
broken  down  horse  to  Mr.  Clark,  at  Bayambang,  I 
had  placed  about  five  hundred  Mexican  dollars  in 
the  saddle  bag  with  which  to  replace  possible  loss 
of  animals  and  for  general  expenses,  and  to  the 
credit  of  the  inhabitants  of  all  the  provinces  I  trav- 
elled through,  it  was  as  safe  there  as  in  any  bank. 
I  used  but  a  trifling  portion  of  this  amount,  for  in 
every  town  my  entertainment  was  given  without 
pay,  which  I  the  more  fully  appreciated  from  the 
fact  that  the  people  gave  me  their  best,  regretting 
it  was  not  better,  while  I  knew  the  conditions  were 
such  they  had  very  little  for  themselves. 

I  left  Resales  in  about  two  hours,  accompanied 
by  six  insurgent  soldiers  armed  with  Remington 
rifles  under  the  command  of  a  native  officer,  the 
guard  being  changed  at  every  town.  We  were 
also  accompanied  by  a  sub-official,  Don  Tomas, 
who  rode  by  my  side,  and  his  conversation  was  so 
pleasant  and  his  Spanish  so  correct,  that  I  asked 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.       45 

him  to  remain  with  me  throughout  the  whole  trip, 
which  he  did,  his  information  and  acquaintance 
with  the  country  being  of  great  value  to  me.  I 
placed  him  in  charge  of  all  the  other  servants,  but 
he  ate  with  me  at  every  meal  and  shared  my  tent. 

From  Resales  to  Humingan,  in  the  same  prov- 
ince, a  distance  of  fifteen  miles,  the  roads  were 
somewhat  better,but  there  were  deep  sloughs  many 
rods  in  length  and  a  small  river  to  ford,  which, 
with  the  assistance  of  caribao  brought  in  from  the 
fields,  we  were  able  to  accomplish  in  pretty  good 
condition.  The  party  now  consisted  of  a  long  line 
of  horses  and  men  on  foot,  and  our  arrival  was 
made  known  by  courier.  For  reasons  unknown  to 
me  an  employe  of  the  railroad  at  Manila  had  put 
my  name  on  the  freight  bill  as  the  "American  Gen- 
eral," and  it  had  preceded  me  throughout  the  trip. 
When  the  expedition  arrived  at  the  different  sta- 
tions and  the  people  saw  the  "General"  in  a  big 
sombrero,  blue  flannel  shirt,  citizen's  coat  and  leg- 
gings, there  was  a  manifest  look  of  doubt  and  dis- 
appointment. Why  didn't  he  travel  in  uniform  and 
in  the  style  of  an  officer  of  rank? 

At  sun  down  we  reached  Humingan  and  met  a 
most  friendly  welcome.  I  was  entertained  by  the 
"Presidente"  at  dinner,  and  was  greatly  surprised 
at  the  excellent  quality  of  food  and  service.  The 


46  THROUGH    LUZON. 

table  was  covered  with  a  neat  white  linen  cloth,  the 
dishes  were  of  very  good  crockery,  and  the  nap- 
kins and  other  essentials  better  than  I  had  thought 
were  used  in  the  country,  while  the  meal  consisted 
of  excellent  soup,  fried  eggs,  roast  chicken,  boiled 
beef,  good  bread,  potatoes,  rice,  lettuce,  tomatoes, 
good  coffee  and  many  sweetmeats.  After  enjoy- 
ing this  we  all  adjourned  to  the  sala,  where  six 
musicians  with  flutes,  a  cornet,  violin  and  guitars 
were  in  waiting.  The  average  Filipino  can  furnish 
good  music,  to  which  many  adapt  themselves,  and 
they  will  play  for  hours.  The  last  thing  I  remem- 
ber before  going  to  sleep  that  night  in  a  four- 
posted  bed,  with  clean  white  sheets  and  pillow 
cases,  was  the  music  of  this  band,  and  they  came 
again  in  the  morning  for  reveille. 

The  "Presidente"  made  many  inquiries  regard- 
ing the  outcome  of  the  war  with  Spain  and  their 
own  future,  and  on  the  other  hand  I  found  out  as 
much  as  possible  concerning  the  products  and  con- 
dition of  the  country. 

An  interesting  and  amusing  sight  was  furnished 
us  in  the  morning  by  the  manner  of  threshing  pal- 
ay,  the  straw  containing  rice.  Large  handfuls  of 
this  straw  are  put  into  a  trough  and  a  number  of 
young  girls  in  a  really  pleasing  manner  do  the 
work  with  a  heavy  piece  of  wood  about  six  inches 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.        47 

in  diameter  and  four  feet  long,  by  lifting  it  in  the 
air  and  throwing  it  down  with  each  hand  alternate- 
ly. Their  motions  are  regular  and  certainly  very 
graceful,  and  they  appear  light  hearted  and  cheer- 
ful amid  such  apparently  hard  labor. 

But  I  had  as  yet  found  nothing  to  satisfy  my 
curiosity  or  confirm  the  reputed  wildness  of  the 
island  outside  of  Manila,  and  I  was  anxious  to 
pursue  my  search.  After  saying  muchisimo  gra- 
cias  to  my  hospitable  entertainer,  I  started  for- 
ward with  a  change  of  military  escort,  planning  to 
go  to  Carranglan,  nearly  due  east  in  the  same  prov- 
ince. This  would  bring  me  into  a  mountainous 
country  which  promised  some  contrast  to  that  part 
of  my  route  already  traversed.  I  found,  however, 
there  were  no  trails  on  a  straight  line  over  the  in- 
tervening country,  which  consisted  of  small  moun- 
tains of  quite  a  rugged  character. 

A  detour  to  the  south  around  the  spur  of  the 
Caraballo  range  of  mountains  to  the  village  of  San 
Jose,  ten  miles  distant,  seemed  to  be  the  only  pos- 
sible plan,  and  this  course  was  decided  upon.  We 
now  made  better  progress  and  with  more  comfort, 
and  the  scenery  presented  a  more  pleasing  aspect, 
with  numerous  small  mountain  streams  and  a 
thickly  wooded  territory.  This  journey  was  a 
short  one,  and  both  animals  and  men  had  a  long 


4»  THROUGH    LUZON. 

night's  rest  in  which  to  prepare  for  one  of  the 
hardest  day's  travel  yet  encountered.  The  same 
generous  treatment  was  accorded  at  San  Jose  as  at 
the  other  places  visited,  and  no  question  was  asked 
about  passes.  I  had  ample  time  to  arrange  an  early 
start  in  the  morning,  which  was  important,  as  most 
of  the  horses  were  becoming  worn  out  and  were 
getting  sore  backs,  which  even  the  native  remedy, 
cigar  ashes,  did  not  succeed  in  curing.  I  employed 
ten  "bagadores,"  strong  muscular  men,  who  can 
carry  more  and  travel  faster  than  a  horse,  and  for 
the  sum  of  two  Mexican  dollars  they  engaged  to 
go  to  Puncan,  fifteen  mountain  miles  distant,  and 
return.  This  was  at  the  rate  of  ten  cents  in  gold 
for  each  man,  and  the  trip  consumed  two  days. 

Our  long  line  of  soldiers,  servants  and  horses 
moved  into  the  foothills  during  a  heavy  rain.  It 
was  of  no  avail  to  wait  for  a  clear  day  at  this  season 
in  this  locality,  and  I  knew  it  was  less  exhausting 
with  the  rain  than  in  a  hot  sun.  The  course  along 
the  Pantabangan  river  was  followed  through 
heavy  timber  until  the  trail  led  up  the  mountain, 
where  in  places  it  was  barely  two  feet  wide,  with 
rock  obstructions,  waterfalls  and  mires  that  seemed 
to  have  no  end.  Horses  were  useless,  and  every 
one  dismounted,  throwing  bridle  reins  over  the 
saddles,  and  permitting  them  to  make  the  best  of 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.        49 

their  way,  as  we  were  doing  on  foot.  The  heavy 
rain  had  soaked  through  my  mackintosh,  making 
it  too  heavy  to  carry,  and  I  trudged  along  all  day 
soaked  to  my  skin.  In  some  places  the  angle  of 
elevation  in  the  rocks  was  so  great  that  our  horses 
slid  back  to  the  starting  point  a  number  of  times 
after  almost  making  the  ascent,  and  when  finally 
the  top  was  reached  we  found  the  other  side  to  be 
equally  precipitous.  The  scenery  was  wild  and 
grand  but  the  fatigue  great.  Much  of  the  trail  was 
very  indistinct  and  covered  with  bamboo  and  thick 
shrubbery,  which,  when  parted  and  suddenly  re- 
leased, struck  one's  face  with  stinging  force.  The 
route  was  only  fifteen  miles  in  length,  but  it  led 
through  ravines,  rocks  and  mountain  streams  in- 
numerable, and  on  every  side  grew  a  wealth  of 
hard  wood  timber  that  seemed  sufficient  for  the 
whole  world,  and  which,  I  believe,  could  be 
brought  to  the  Rio  Pampamga  for  transportation 
to  Manila  with  great  profit.  Some  pine  was  seen, 
but  the  principal  species  were  the  hard  wood  of 
the  tropical  climate — the  molave,  narra,  ebony, 
teak  and  numerous  other  varieties.  Some  of  these 
trees  were  thirty-six  inches  in  diameter  and  rose 
majestically  to  a  height  of  one  hundred  feet  with- 
out a  limb,  until  capped  by  an  umbrella-shaped 
bunch  of  leaves.  This  magnificent  virgin  forest  of 


50  THROUGH    LUZON. 

extraordinary  value,  neglected  completely  and 
probably  never  penetrated  by  intelligent  man,  ex- 
acts unbounded  admiration  in  passing,  and  will  of- 
fer great  inducements  to  the  pioneers  to  convert 
them  to  profitable  use  when  these  beautifully  wood- 
ed lands  of  the  torrid  zone  are  more  widely  known. 

These  wild  woods  are  the  home  of  the  jabali,  or 
wild  boar,  whose  presence  was  shown  by  the  many 
holes  in  the  ground,  torn  up  by  his  tusks  while  in 
search  of  roots  and  herbs.  If  there  is  anything 
sweeter  and  more  delicious  than  the  meat  of  the 
wild  boar  roasted  upon  a  spit  in  the  open  air  be- 
fore a  camp  fire,  I  have  yet  to  find  it.  Numerous 
venado  (wild  deer)  are  also  found,  and  dried  veni- 
son forms  the  richest  and  the  principal  flesh  food  of 
the  natives. 

I  venture  to  say  that  when  the  time  comes  to 
survey  and  locate  this  vast  territory  most  of  it  will 
be  found  to  pertain  to  ecclesiastical  orders,  as  in 
other  districts,  and  I  fear  there  will  be  zones  only 
described  by  degrees  of  latitude  and  longitude  to 
which  title  will  be  protected  by  the  United  States. 

I  dislike  to  pass  on  without  a  more  minute  de- 
scription of  these  woods,  but  others  who  will  follow 
me  will  contribute  their  share  to  diffusing  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  material  wealth  and  extent  of  this  prov- 
ince, Neuva  Ecija,  which  offers  so  much  encour- 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.         51 

agement  to  inquiring  young  men  of  endurance, 
ability  and  progressiveness. 

All  day  we  proceeded  in  a  heavy  rain  without 
halt,  and  I  many  times  wished  our  speed  was  as 
great  as  that  of  the  "bagadores,"  the  native  pack- 
men, who  seemed  to  have  muscles  of  iron,  and 
were  never  exhausted  with  heavy  loads;  but  the 
native  horses  or  ponies  had  to  be  favored,  and  at 
times  the  packmen  were  miles  in  advance  of  us 
until  they  reached  the  banks  of  the  raging  Panta^ 
bangan  river  where  they  waited  for  us.  Then  fol- 
lowed a  long  consultation  with  Don  Tomas  and 
others  of  the  party  as  to  the  impossibility  of  cross- 
ing the  stream  and  the  necessity  of  making  camp 
for  the  night.  The  natives  all  said  it  was  foolhardy 
to  attempt  it.  The  stream  was  about  150  yards  in 
width  and  came  tearing  down  at  the  rate  of  seven 
knots  an  hour — black  with  mud  and  most  treach- 
erous looking.  But  without  a  word,  and  to  the 
astonishment  of  the  natives  and  soldiers,  Sargent 
plunged  his  horse  into  the  current  and  swam  to  the 
other  side.  This  encouraged  my  men,  and  the 
bagadores  proceeded  further  up  the  river  and  fin- 
ally made  a  crossing.  I  alone  remained,  and  my 
horse  was  not  inclined  to  carry  me  over  as  my 
weight  was  too  great.  Here  the  long  coil  of  rope 
came  into  use.  One  end  was  fastened  to  a  tree, 


5*  THROUGH    LUZON. 

the  other  to  be  brought  across  the  stream  to  where 
I  stood.  It  was  Sargent,  of  course,  who  attempted 
this,  but  while  yet  in  the  middle  of  the  stream  the 
cable  parted  at  a  knot  and  he  disappeared  beneath 
the  torrent.  I  stood  trembling  with  terror,  fear- 
ing that  was  the  last  of  him,  but  he  came  up  spout- 
ing the  muddy  water  from  his  mouth  and  reached 
the  shore  in  safety.  The  "bagadores"  now  came 
over  for  me,  two  of  them  bracing  my  horse  against 
the  current,  while  one  preceded  the  animal  and  an- 
other brought  up  the  rear. 

Puncan  was  now  promised  us  muy  cerca,  but 
we  kept  on  and  on,  crossing  branches  of  this 
stream  at  least  fifteen  times  at  deep  fording  places, 
large  boulders  at  the  bottom  of  each  making  it 
hazardous  indeed.  But  the  rugged  scenery  and 
enchanting  waterfalls  tumbling  over  precipices, 
filled  my  mind  so  interestingly  that  I  quite  forgot 
the  troublesome  part  of  the  trail.  At  dusk  the  vil- 
lage coming  into  view,  gladdened  the  hearts  of  man 
and  beast  for  the  hardest  part  of  the  whole  journey 
was  completed. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  welcome  of  the  local  of- 
ficial, whose  name  has  passed  from  my  memory, 
nor  how  he  offered  all  he  had  for  our  comfort.  The 
horses  were  unsaddled  and  the  outfit  put  into  the 
one  room  that  constituted  the  abode  of  the  "Pres- 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.        53 

idente  Local."  The  houses  of  these  interior  set- 
tlements are  small  and  square,  consisting  of  bam- 
boo frames  thatched  with  palms  and  having  nipa 
roofs.  They  are  erected  on  hard  wood  posts 
about  five  feet  from  the  wet  ground,  the  space  un- 
derneath being  occupied  by  pigs,  chickens  and 
dogs. 

The  building  of  a  hut  or  house  and  the  fitting 
out  of  a  home  among  the  natives  offers  none  of  the 
anxiety  and  expense  encountered  by  us  at  home. 
The  young  man  does  it  all  in  a  short  time,  and 
alone,  using  only  his  "bolo"  (a  native  weapon  and 
domestic  utensil  resembling  a  long  corn  knife),  to 
cut  his  bamboo  and  palm  leaves,  and  securing  the 
parts  together  with  flexible  strips  of  bamboo  or 
ratan.  The  floor  is  likewise  of  bamboo  strips,  and 
any  furniture  besides  a  flat  earthen  space  for  a  fire, 
a  mat  to  sleep  on,  and  a  picture  of  the  Virgin  Mary 
is  considered  a  piece  of  reckless  extravagance. 

Eggs  and  chickens  were  found,  together  with 
rice  for  servants  and  escort,  and  the  supper  served 
from  these  seemed  to  me  the  best  I  had  ever  eaten. 
It  was  a  difficult  task  and  aggravating  in  the  ex- 
treme to  get  the  boys  who  attended  to  horses  to 
gather  enough  palay  and  sacati  (rice  straw  and 
grass)  for  food  for  them,  and  no  amount  of  threats 
had  any  effect;  the  successful  means  being  to  go 


54  THROUGH    LUZON. 

with  them  and  see  that  it  is  done.  A  proverb  says 
"Que  donde  nace  el  Indio  nace  el  bejuco"  ("Where 
grows  the  ratan  the  native  is  born"),  and  a  switch 
made  of  ratan  is  necessary  if  any  obedience  is  to  be 
had  from  the  younger  native  boys.  "It  is  found 
in  all  Philippine  houses,"  says  the  Padra  San  Au- 
gustine, but  it  had  escaped  my  notice.  For  the 
night  all  of  us  slept  in  one  room,  on  flooring  of 
bamboo  strips,  in  our  wet  clothing  and  blankets. 

With  breakfast  over  in  the  gray  of  the  morning, 
the  line  was  formed  to  start  on  the  way  to  Carran- 
glan.  The  trail  led  across  a  small  river,  then  into 
a  long  stretch  of  marshy  flats,  covered  with  large 
pine  trees  and  thick  underbrush  of  bamboo,  open- 
ing into  an  extensive,  rolling,  grass  covered  plain 
ten  miles  in  length  and  five  in  width.  From  the 
highest  point  of  the  hills  we  saw  the  range  of 
mountains  in  verdure,  with  clouds  and  smoke  in- 
termingling, and  were  told  that  on  the  very  caps 
of  these  were  the  homes  and  haunts  of  the  fero- 
cious Igorrotes.  The  kodak  was  snapped  at  this 
and  the  surrounding  and  beautifully  green,  undul- 
ating country,  but,  alas,  the  miserable  instrument 
failed  to  produce  any  result  when  the  plates  were 
developed  later. 

Wending  our  way  over  the  rich  soil  in  an  open 
prairie,  uncultivated  and  unoccupied,  it  struck  me 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.        55 

as  a  particularly  fine  locality  for  sheep  and  cattle 
raising,  where  immense  herds  will  no  doubt  dot  its 
surface  when  security  is  assured  the  pastoral  set- 
tler. At  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  reached 
the  banks  of  the  Carranglan  river,  a  view  of  which 
was  sufficient  to  satisfy  me  that  camping  for  the 
night  was  the  only  resource,  though  the  town  was 
but  four  miles  from  the  opposite  side.  Before 
darkness  set  in  guns  were  fired  to  attract  the  at- 
tention of  the  people,  it  being  our  object  to  obtain 
caribao  to  carry  ourselves  and  baggage  over.  A 
native  swam  across  the  river  and  informed  us  that, 
on  account  of  heavy  rains  in  the  mountains,  the 
stream  was  rising  rapidly,  and  that  we  must  wait 
until  morning,  when  animals  would  be  furnished. 

Tents  were  pitched,  and  our  followers  very  re- 
luctantly built  for  themselves  a  rude  protection  of 
bamboo  and  palm,  fearful  of  spending  the  night  so 
near  a  river  infested  with  cayman  (crocodiles).  I 
shared  my  tent  with  Don  Tomas,  the  major  domo, 
but  he  could  not  be  induced  to  sleep.  During  all 
of  the  long  night  he  sat  with  his  hands  around  his 
knees,  watching  the  lighted  candles  and  telling 
horrible  stories  of  how  the  cayman  would  crawl  up 
on  the  bank,  lash  a  horse  to  death  with  his  tail  and 
then  devour  him.  The  other  natives  built  huge 
fires  to  keep  the  reptiles  away,  shooting  off  guns 


56  THROUGH    LUZON. 

to  give  themselves  courage  while  watching,  and 
frequently  imagined  they  saw  the  piercing  eyes  of 
the  monsters  slowly  advancing  towards  their  hid- 
ing place.  But  the  night  was  passed  without  dis- 
aster or  adventure.  It  had  rained  in  torrents  con- 
tinually and  we  were  drenched  to  the  skin,  the  wa- 
ter soaking  the  blankets  put  upon  the  bare  ground, 
so  much  so  that  half  our  bodies  were  afloat  most 
of  the  night,  so  that  when  morning  came,  and  with 
it  the  caribao,  we  were  heartily  glad  to  be  wel- 
comed by  the  head  officials  into  a  large  dry  and 
comfortable  building  made  of  brick  and  stone  in 
the  town  of  Carranglan.  The  houses  now  occu- 
•pied  by  the  local  government  were  the  conventos, 
formerly  the  habitation  of  the  priests.  Always 
roomy,  strongly  built,  and  adjoining  the  church, 
they  together  formed  the  only  imposing  structures 
in  every  town  and  village.  The  life  of  celibacy  and 
ascetic  self-denial  imposed  upon  the  priests  was  as 
far  as  possible  carried  out  in  these  remote  places, 
but  they  enjoyed  all  the  amenities  of  ordinary  hu- 
man existence.  Each  in  his  parish  had  a  little 
less  than  a  principality — his  word  was  a  command. 
Nothing  but  the  best  was  his  in  all  things,  and  with 
a  retinue  of  servants,  well  stocked  stables,  and  the 
power  to  order  anything  done  by  the  natives,  he 
found  ample  occupation  and  compensation  for 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.       59 

what  otherwise  would  have  been  a  weary  lapse  of 
time. 

Now  these  men  are  stripped  of  all  their  posses- 
sions and  authority,  and  remain  prisoners  in  the 
hands  of  the  Filipinos,  being  carefully  guarded,  but 
housed  and  fed  from  what  remains  of  the  bounty 
of  their  captors. 

The  curiosity  of  the  natives  increased  as  I  pro- 
gressed further  into  the  unbeaten  tracks  and  upon 
our  approach  we  were  surrounded  by  a  greater 
part  of  the  men,  women  and  children  of  the  nearby 
population,  always  respectful,  smiling,  and  with 
suave  and  gentle  manners.  Yet  there  was  an  ele- 
ment of  young  men,  nearly  all  of  whom  were  well 
dressed,  whose  looks  were  sinister  and  critical,  and 
whose  reserved  and  self-important  manner  and 
carriage  was  forbidding — a  class  of  indolents  whose 
egoism  seemed  sublime,  and  who  really  believed 
they  would  supplant  the  Spaniard  in  all  the  fat 
offices  under  the  flag  of  the  Philippine  Republic. 

Shortly  after  getting  settled  for  the  night,  three 
of  the  company  were  taken  with  violent  dysentery, 
due  to  the  previous  night's  exposure  in  the  rain. 
Every  concern  was  manifested  by  our  host  for  our 
welfare,  and  a  native  doctor  was  summoned.  He 
was  an  old,  white  haired  man,  neatly  dressed  and 
possessed  of  great  dignity.  He  questioned  me  in 
4 


60  THROUGH    LUZON. 

Spanish  as  to  the  symptoms  and  probable  cause  of 
our  illness  and  looked  as  wise  and  thoughtful  as 
any  respected  practitioner  in  our  own  country. 
He  procured  and  applied  one  kind  of  leaves  to  our 
heads  and  another  sort  to  our  stomachs,  his  pro- 
fessional pride  seeming  to  be  quite  satisfied  when 
learning  that  all  were  well  again  the  next  night.  It 
would  have  been  a  pity  to  injure  his  pride  by  tell- 
ing him  that  quinine  and  laudanum  had  probably 
done  more  good  than  his  medicine.  Possibly  his 
herbs  did  possess  some  remarkable  qualities — I 
would  be  the  last  one  to  deny  this — and  am  sorry 
that  I  felt  in  no  mood  to  give  his  prescription  an 
exclusive  field  in  my  ailment.  A  suffering  man  is 
not  apt  to  be  of  an  experimental  turn  of  mind. 

Carranglan  is  a  center  of  rice  cultivation,  and  the 
preparation  of  the  grain  for  local  use  and  for  sale 
is  extensively  carried  on.  The  inhabitants  were 
especially  busy  in  this  occupation  while  we  were 
there,  because  of  the  pressing  demand  for  rice 
which  followed  the  resumption  of  its  cultivation 
after  the  revolt  against  the  Spanish  government. 
All  through  this  town,  almost  in  every  house,  peo- 
ple wtre  seen  threshing  rice  in  the  customary  way, 
with  a  long,  hardwood  pole,  and  a  trough  made  of 
heavy  timber.  It  was  pleasing  to  hear  the  sound 
occasioned  by  this  work  far  into  the  night,  and,  to 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.       61 

encourage  the  girls  in  their  toil,  a  man  had  perched 
himself  on  a  high  seat  and  on  a  guitar  played  a 
tune  with  a  rythm  to  suit  the  lifting  and  dropping 
of  the  threshing  flail. 

Nothing  was  left  undone  by  the  "Presidente  Lo- 
cal" and  his  under  officials  to  furnish  the  choicest 
food  the  town  was  capable  of  producing,  and  to  his 
credit  and  that  of  his  assistants,  it  was  extremely 
good,  and  given  without  any  charge  whatever.  I 
know  of  no  other  country  where  a  stranger  can 
travel  hundreds  of  miles  and  be  entertained  by  the 
very  best  the  country  produces,  where  it  is  offered 
freely  and  cheerfully  and  with  apologies  for  not 
having  something  better,  and  not  be  permitted  to 
pay  a  cent  in  return.  This,  too,  in  a  land  devastat- 
ed by  a  revolution  that  had  begun  nearly  three 
years  previously.  It  is  an  example  of  generosity 
and  goodness  of  heart  I  have  never  met  with  be- 
fore in  my  wanderings  in  various  countries  of  the 
world,  where  it  has  always  been  my  keenest  en- 
joyment to  travel  on  untrodden  paths,  far  away 
from  the  hum  of  the  busy  turmoil  and  unceasing 
activity  of  a  city's  throng. 

After  one  day's  delay  I  prepared  for  going 
North  with  a  fresh  lot  of  "bagadores"and  soldiers 
— more  of  the  latter  than  usual,  for  fear  of  Iggoro- 
tes — and  also  two  extra  horses.  When  saddled  and 


62  THROUGH    LUZON. 

packed  ready  for  moving,  the  church  bells  were 
rung  and  guns  fired  as  a  ''send-off,"  continuing 
until  the  train  was  lost  to  view  in  the  densely 
wooded  trails. 

Soon  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Carranglan  riv- 
er was  reached,  and  up  this  we  continued  all  morn- 
ing, resting  at  noon  upon  its  banks,  surrounded 
by  rolling,  grassy  plains  on  every  side.  The 
thoughtfulness  of  my  host  had  provided  roast 
chicken  put  up  in  green  palm  leaves,  and  boiled 
beef,  while  I  carried  plenty  of  rice  for  the  others 
connected  with  the  expedition,  which  now  con- 
sisted of  twelve  horses  and  twenty-four  men  all 
told.  After  lunch  and  a  short  siesta  we  moved  on 
through  this  long  stretch  of  beautiful  virgin  prairie 
uninhabited  completely,  although  a  place  in  which 
cattle  would  thrive  immensely  and  never  lack 
abundance  of  shade,  water  and  grass.  The  trail 
here  was  decidedly  superior  to  all  the  others  trav- 
eled, but  notwithstanding  this  the  intensely  hot 
and  burning  sun  made  our  progress  slow  until  late 
in  the  afternoon,  when  we  stopped  at  the  base  of 
the  Caraballo  Sur,  the  range  of  mountains  dividing 
the  provinces  of  Nueva  Ecija  and  Nueva  Vizcaya, 
and  forming  the  water  shed  for  the  rivers  running 
North  and  South  from  this  point. 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.       63 

No  more  enchanting  location  for  a  camp  could 
be  desired.  A  crystal,  running  brook  tumbled 
down  from  the  sides  of  the  precipitous  rocks,  and 
the  beauty  of  the  surrounding  verdure  was  en- 
hanced by  the  back  ground  afforded  by  the  grand 
and  rugged  Caraballo  mountains,  which  the  next 
day  challenged  our  energy  and  endurance  to  sur- 
mount. The  few  Spanish  soldiers  who  had  passed 
this  way  at  various  times  had  built  and  left  behind 
them  a  tolerable  good  shelter  of  bamboo  and  nipa, 
which  served  the  purpose  of  our  party,  and  our 
tent  was  not  required.  A  delicious  supper  of 
bacon,  hard  tack  and  tea  was  prepared,  but  the 
soldiers  \vere  well  satisfied  with  moris  queta  (boiled 
rice)  poured  into  their  helmets,  from  which  with 
their  fingers  they  ate  their  fill.  A  Filipino  soldier 
gets  little  sustenance  other  than  rice,  and  failing 
this,  succulent  roots  serve  as  a  substitute,  with 
such  wild  game  as  can  be  shot,  so  in  this  manner 
life  is  sustained  in  the  mountains  and  foot-hills  al- 
most indefinitely. 

The  greatest  dread  was  manifested  by  the  na- 
tives of  the  Igorrotes,  these  wild  men  of  the  moun- 
tains, but  I  wished  to  know  more  about  them,  and 
from  people  who  had  seen  them  and  knew  their 
ways.  Having  camped  so  early  and  not  feeling  at 
all  fatigued,  I  asked  Don  Tomas  to  relate  to  me 


64  THROUGH    LUZON. 

their  modes  of  life  and  customs,  which  he  gladly 
consented  to  do.  How  true  his  tale  is  I  cannot 
say,  though  it  agrees  with  the  most  of  the  legend- 
ary accounts  I  have  read  by  Spanish  writers. 
While  the  others  were  asleep,  before  rousing  camp 
fire,  and  with  pipes  and  cigarettes,  I  listened  until 
the  dying  embers  gave  notice  of  the  time  to  turn 
in  for  rest,  to  prepare  for  the  arduous  work  of  the 
morrow,  I  gleaned  from  Don  Tomas  the  follow- 
ing interesting  account  of  these  much  feared  peo- 
ple: 

The  Igorrotes*  inhabit  the  mountain  ranges  of 
the  Caraballos,  live  in  rancherias,  or  small  settle- 
ments, and  have  the  fame  of  being  the  most  cruel 
and  war-like  people  of  the  archipelago,  and  have 
also  been  accused  of  cannibalism.  They  seldom 
come  down  to  the  foot  hills  and  have  little  dealings 
with  their  more  civilized  neighbors  in  the  plains 
and  valleys.  They  are  fierce  and  untamed,  head 
hunting  being  a  past  time  of  the  race.  Though 
still  maintaining  this  hideous  and  barbarous  cus- 
tom, they  have  made  great  advances  in  civilized 
pursuits,  isolated  though  they  are,  and  the  fertile 
portions  of  the  mountains  are  under  cultivation, 


*Igorrote  is  a  generic  term  for  various  tribes  of 
the  same  race. 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.        65 

producing  rice,  coffee,  tobacco,  famous  oranges, 
guaves  and  many  other  articles  for  their  own  use, 
together  with  many  fine  horses  and  cattle.  A  very 
few  of  the  tamer  ones  come  down  among  the  Ta- 
galos  for  the  purpose  of  trading  these  products  for 
cloth  and  trinkets,  and  are  known  as  mansos. 

The  Igorrotes  mine  gold  and  iron,  which  they 
work  into  armaments,  instruments  and  ornaments. 
All  their  lances,  spears,  arrows  and  knives  are  made 
by  themselves  and  decorated  with  gold.  Their 
only  article  of  clothing  is  a  breech-clout  for  the 
men  and  a  short  skirt  for  the  women,  the  children 
going  to  greater  extremes.  They  are  so  accus- 
tomed to  running  and  climbing  in  the  mountains 
that  any  prolonged  stay  in  the  foothills  and  plains 
is  disagreeable  to  them  and  injurious  to  their 
health.  The  bonds  of  family  and  marriage  are 
recognized,  but  there  is  no  religion  other  than 
superstitiousness. 

Two  marriage  ceremonies  are  in  vogue,  the  one 
most  frequently  employed  being  that  which  in- 
volved the  popular  custom  of  hunting  human 
heads.  When  the  young  Igorrote  discovers  flut- 
terings  in  his  heart,  he  straightway  gets  his  lance 
and  leaves  the  mountains  for  the  foothills.  Choos- 
ing here  some  frequented  trail  of  the  traveler,  he 
hides  in  the  bushes  or  among  the  rocks  in  the  vi- 


66  THROUGH    LUZON. 

cinity  and  awaits  for  the  first  grown  man  to  pass. 
When  his  patience  is  rewarded  by  the  approach  of 
his  prey,  he  rushes  forth  and  casts  his  spear  with 
unvarying  accuracy  and  then  flees  back  to  the 
mountain.  When  he  has  given  the  victim  what  he 
considers  sufficient  time  to  die,  he  returns,  severs 
the  head  from  the  body  and  proceeds  in  ecstacy 
with  it  to  his  people,  who  receive  him  with  applause 
and  admiration.  The  event  is  quickly  made  known 
throughout  the  whole  village  and  eager  crowds 
gather  in  curiosity  to  see  to  which  marriageable 
girl  he  will  present  his  gory  human  head,  the  en- 
sign of  his  prowess  and  proof  of  his  affection.  No 
doubt  many  a  mother  with  marriageable  daugh- 
ters weighs  her  chances,  and  many  a  father  com- 
pares with  contempt  the  small,  weak  head  now 
brought  forth  with  that  which  won  for  him  his 
charming  bride  years  ago — but  who  is  now  bent, 
flat-footed  and  fat. 

The  maiden  receives  the  token  with  shyness  and 
dignity,  but  never  entertains  any  idea  of  refusing 
him.  This  is  the  license  for  the  wildest  revelry 
throughout  the  village  and  the  indulgence  of  every 
excess.  Cattle  are  killed,  feasts  prepared  and  wine 
flows  freely.  If  the  family  of  the  bride  is  rich,  one 
of  the  female  servants  is  killed  as  a  measure  of  the 
importance  of  the  occasion. 


FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARRANGLAN.        67 

The  other  form  of  marriage  practiced  is  less  hid- 
eous but  less  indulged.  In  this  ceremony  the 
young  Igorrote  who  yearns  for  a  bride  must  pro- 
cure her  by  his  skill  in  use  of  the  bow  and  arrow. 
The  whole  village  turns  out  to  witness  his  success 
or  failure,  the  males  all  armed  with  spears.  The 
bride-elect  stands  apart  from  the  others,  gayly 
adorned  with  jewels  and  laces,  holding  under  one 
arm  a  palm  leaf.  The  young  man  places  himself  in 
a  position  before  her  at  some  distance,  and  takes 
one  shot  at  the  leaf.  This  is  a  moment  calculated 
to  try  the  nerve  of  the  bravest,  for  if.  he  misses  his 
hit  he  hits  his  Miss,  and  all  the  men  about  him 
stand  with  spears  poised  in  readiness  to  kill  him  if 
he  fails  to  strike  the  mark.  It  speaks  well  for  their 
skill  and  accuracy  that  a  young  Igorrote  seldom 
meets  death  in  this  remarkable  marriage  ceremony. 

I  discovered  personally  that  these  various  tribes 
were  cowards,  and  it  was  only  necessary  to  fire  a 
gun  into  the  thick  bushes  along  the  road  to  deter 
them  from  attempting  an  attack.  The  native  Fil- 
ippino  lives  in  mortal  dread  of  them,  and  the  Span- 
iards, after  several  centuries,  have  done  nothing 
towards  bringing  them  under  subjection  because 
they  feared  to  pursue  them  into  their  mountain 
fastnesses.  Later  on  I  met  many  of  these  hill 
tribes,  and  while  splendidly  built  and  as  muscular 


68  THROUGH    LUZON. 

as  oxen,  there  was  a  docility  in  their  looks  and  ac- 
tions that  convinced  me,  that,  if  properly  handled, 
they  would  become  pacific  in  a  short  time  and  de- 
velop into  useful  workers  and  tillers  of  the  soil.  It 
was  only  the  vague  legends  of  their  ferocious  hab- 
its that  had  made  them  seem  so  terrible 

My  plan  had  originally  been  to  cross  the  north- 
ern part  of  Luzon  from  east  to  west  through  their 
abiding  places,  which  could  not  be  carried  out, 
however,  because  of  opposition  from  the  Tagalo 
official  of  that  district,  who  said  it  was  but  courting 
death  to  appear  among  these  millions  of  cannibals. 
According  to  all  available  statistics,  there  are  but 
60,000  of  these  Igorrotes  distributed  over  an  im- 
mense territory. 

I  believe  Don  Tomas  was  completely  saturated 
with  these  ideas  and  thoroughly  believed  in  them, 
and  the  more  horrible  he  could  make  these  people 
appear,  the  more  certainly  he  would  be  spared  the 
fear  of  accompanying  me,  and  thus,  perhaps,  save 
his  precious  head  to  carry  back  again  upon  his 
shoulders  to  Manila,  instead  of  having  it  adorn 
the  home  of  an  Igorrote — another  trophy  of  the 
number  of  assassinations  committed. 

When  roads  are  built  through  these  hidden  and 
unknown  regions  they  will  be  found  to  be  the  most 
desirable  parts  of  the  island — the  salubrious  moun- 
tain air  contributing  in  a  great  degree  toward  mak- 
ing them  exceedingly  healthful  and  productive. 


CHAPTER  III. 

CROSSING  THE  CARABALLOS. 

THE  day  dawned  clear  and  warm,  though 
very  early  and  hasty  breakfast,  the  line  was 
tempered  by  a  light  breeze,  and  after  a 
formed  for  climbing  the  mountains.  A  now  de- 
parted governor  of  the  archipelago  had  cut  a  wide 
road  through  the  rocks,  but  that  had  been  done  so 
long  ago  the  soil  had  washed  away,  leaving  masses 
of  stone  obstructions,  very  difficult  to  surmount. 
The  "bagadores,"  each  carrying  about  60  pounds 
on  their  backs,  glided  along  with  ease  and  speed, 
much  more  so  than  the  native  horse  without  a 
load,  although  I  discovered  one  of  the  natives,  a 
follower  of  our  party,  mounted  upon  one  of  my 
horses,  but  he  judiciously  lost  no  time  in  dismount- 
ing at  my  command.  I  walked  the  entire  distance, 
a  hundred  yards  at  a  time,  stopping  for  breath  at 
each  level  spot.  It  was  figured  out  how  much 
weight  a  man  weighing  210  pounds  would  lift 
while  climbing  to  an  elevation  of  3297  feet,  the 

69 


70  THROUGH    LUZON. 

height  of  the  pass  over  the  Caraballo  Mountains, 
and  the  result  of  this  computation  was  gratifying 
and  comforting  to  me  in  my  exhausted  condition. 

At  the  summit  of  this  range  the  Spaniards  had 
erected  an  estaca  mento,  or  small  fort,  which  com- 
manded an  extended  view  of  the  surrounding  hills 
and  valleys,  whose  primitive,  natural  beauty  and 
splendor  I  have  seldom  seen  surpassed.  It  was 
here  that  the  Filippinos  attacked  the  Spanish 
garrison,  crawling  upon  them  until  within  a  short 
distance,  when  the  signal  was  given  and  a  com- 
pany of  native  soldiers  charged  the  fort  with  only 
their  bolos,  compelling  the  surrender  of  the  Span- 
iards, with  all  their  arms  and  ammunition.  The 
elevation  of  this  point  was  taken  by  barometer, 
showing  1005  metres,  and  another  attempt  at  pho- 
tography was  made,  with  the  same  disastrous  re- 
sults as  on  a  previous  occasion. 

As  I  stood  at  this  elevation  and  scanned  the  sur- 
rounding country,  this  region  so  seldom  penetrat- 
ed by  intelligent  man,  neglected,  yet  beautiful  in 
its  primitive  grandure,  made  a  picture  of  nature 
before  which  the  tracings  of  a  limner's  hand,  guided 
by  a  genius  almost  transcendent,  would  pall.  Crag- 
gy, denuded  rocks,  a  virgin  forest  tapestried  with 
green,  and  a  display  of  majestic  beauty  which  one 
encounters  only  in  the  torrid  zone. 


CROSSING    THE    CARABALLOS.  71 

After  a  hasty  lunch  we  proceeded  down  the 
mountain,  meeting  the  first  travelers  in  an  oppo- 
site direction — the  ubiquitous  caribao.  I  was 
filled  with  surprise  at  seeing  these  animals,  with 
hoofs  like  oxen,  picking  their  way  among  the 
boulders  and  ragged,  stony  paths.  On  both  sides 
of  us  a  magnificent  forest  scene  presented  itself  to 
view,  grand  and  towering  trees,  "monarchs  of  the 
woods,"  and  thus  it  continued  for  many  miles. 

Once  over  the  barrier  of  the  mountain  range  a 
more  interesting  region  was  promised.  The  peo- 
ple were  in  better  circumstances  and  dinners  and 
dances,  with  bands  playing,  were  an  almost  daily 
occurrence,  and  our  arrival  was  made  the  occasion 
for  an  elaborate  display.  This  was  encouraging,  at 
least,  and  I  must  confess  I  had  an  eagerness  to  ac- 
cept and  acknowledge  every  evidence  of  such  hos- 
pitality. 

Slowly  we  paced  along  until  the  Aritao  river  lay 
at  our  feet,  glittering  along  its  banks  in  the  sun- 
shine as  though  a  mass  of  flowing,  liquid  gold. 
The  natives  declared  it  was  gold;  that  the  sands 
close  to  the  water  were  filled  with  it.  I  dismounted 
and  gathered  up  several  handfuls  of  this  soil,  but 
upon  examination  found  it  to  be  but  fine  particles 
of  sulphide  of  iron,  so  light  that  it  floated  upon  the 
surface  of  the  stream,  shining  and  sparkling  in 


7»  THROUGH    LUZON. 

golden  hued  reflections  as  it  passed.  This  river 
was  forded  without  difficulty,  such  a  thing  as  a 
bridge  having  not  as  yet  been  seen.  Some  later 
traveler  in  these  parts  may  find  the  aspect  changed 
— good  roads,  bridges,  or  a  railway  carrying  quan- 
tities of  rice,  sugar,  tobacco,  coffee  and  various 
forest  products,  when  once  the  great  wealth  of 
this  country  is  known  and  appreciated ;  but  it  must 
be  stirred  up  from  its  lethargy  through  the  med- 
ium of  rapid  communication  and  transportation. 
The  different  dialects  of  the  provinces  may  be 
found  to  be  a  slight  hindrance  to  trade,  but  by  fre- 
quent intermingling  these  different  tongues  will 
become  blended  into  one  homogeneous,  intelli- 
ble  language.  Then  the  Igorrotes,  Negritos,  Ibil- 
aos,  Ifugaos  and  a  dozen  other  tribes  will  surrender 
their  tyranny  over  the  most  fertile  and  attractive 
expanse  of  mountain  and  valley,  to  the  onward 
march  of  intelligent  modern  civilization,  thus 
opening  up  the  extensive  valleys  of  the  Rio  Grande 
and  carrying  a  vast  commerce  to  the  sea  at  Aparri 
— the  coming  rival  of  Manila  in  commercial  ex- 
pansion. 

So  much  has  been  said  of  the  mountain  tribes, 
that  I  translate  from  the  "Gia  Official,"  published 
at  Manila,  a  Spanish  estimate  of  the  more  import- 
ant branches  of  these  so-called  aborigines : 


CROSSING   THE   CARABALLOS.  73 

"The  Ilongottes  live  in  the  mountains  of  the  Si- 
erra Madre  and  Carrabello,  between  the  provinces 
of  Nueva  Ecija,  Principe,  Isabela  and  Nueva  Viz- 
caya.  They  have  the  fame  of  being  the  most  cruel 
and  warlike  of  all  the  archipelago,  and  are  accused 
of  being  cannibals.  They  are  generally  tall  and 
robust,  with  dark  yellow  skins,  although  there  are 
many  who  present  a  more  or  less  reddish  shade. 
Their  hair  is  abundant,  black  and  plaited,  the  head 
large,  the  forehead  vertical  and  wide,  the  eyes  of 
an  unquiet  expression,  the  nose  extended  and  the 
lips  large.  They  are  fond  of  adornment,  but  the 
most  notable  of  their  jewels  is  a  collar  or  earrings 
which  indicate  the  number  of  assassinations  com- 
mitted. The  most  mountainous  use  only  a  cloth 
that  passes  between  the  thighs  and  winds  over  the 
waist.  The  more  advanced  and  richer  dress  the 
same  as  those  in  the  district  of  Principe,  a  blouse 
or  shirt  and  trousers.  The  women  wrap  around 
their  body  a  piece  of  cloth  from  the  breast  to  the 
knees,  but  those  of  the  principal  families  use  a 
short  petticoat  and  a  kind  of  jacket  or  waist  that 
is  called  a  chimese.  Men  and  women  go  always 
armed,  though  not  within  their  own  settlements  or 
rancherias.  They  are  traditional  enemies  of  the 
Negritos,  with  whom  they  sustain  continual  fights, 
and  also  of  the  Christians,  upon  whom  they  make 


74  THROUGH    LUZON. 

war  without  quarter  when  they  believe  it  possible 
with  impunity.  These  individuals  are  very  filthy 
and  their  habitations  are  adorned  with  the  jaws  of 
the  wild  boar,  horns  of  the  deer,  and  skulls  of  con- 
quered adversaries.  It  must  not  be  forgotten  in 
spite  of  the  recognized  ferocity  of  this  race,  some 
pueblos  of  the  province  of  Nueva  Vizcaya  sustain 
a  certain  commerce  that  gives  a  base  for  hope  of 
their  reduction  to  civilization. 

Ifugaos.  With  this  name  is  designated  a  large 
number  of  pueblos  which  take  their  denominations 
from  the  locality  they  inhabit.  Their  territory  is 
comprised  within  Benguet,  Lepanto,  Bontoc,  Isa- 
bela,  and  the  Rio  Magat.  They  have  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  cruel  and  ferocious  and  are  often  at 
war  one  rancheria  with  another,  but  above  all  are 
enemies  of  the  mountainous  Gaddanes  of  Isabela, 
which  is  no  obsatcle  to  the  Christian  pueblos  hav- 
ing often  to  lament  the  violence  and  murders  of 
the  Ifugaos.  Some  good  qualities  are,  however, 
recognized ;  honor,  loyalty  and  punctiliousness,  but 
most  of  them  are  thieves  and  traitors.  They  are 
not  such  savages  as  is  generally  believed,  but  work 
with  assiduousness  in  the  fields  with  such  instru- 
ments as  they  possess,  and  in  various  tribes  idle- 
ness is  viewed  with  scorn  and  contempt.  Adorn- 
ment is  usually  of  skulls  and  human  bones,  and 
when  this  is  impossible,  with  those  of  animals. 


CROSSING    THE    CARABALLOS.  77 

Burik  and  Busaos.  These  form  the  principal 
group  of  pueblos,  to  which  is  given  the  name  of 
Igorrotes  of  the  Cordilleras.  They  are  tall  and 
robust,  very  well  proportioned,  of  a  gray  skin,  with 
black  hair,  cut  short  in  front  and  left  long  at  the 
back;  eyes  dark,  expressive  though  some  are  in- 
clined. Large  noses  and  mouths  and  not  infre- 
quently a  beard.  The  most  notable  adornment  is 
being  tattooed,  and  very  artistically  done  by  some 
individuals.  Here  appears  for  the  first  time  the 
hatchet,  called  ligua,  pertaining  only  to  certain 
pueblos,  an  instrument  known  in  the  Visays  and 
Mindanao,  but  never  in  the  South  of  Luzon.  In 
all  the  pueblos  that  use  this  arm  they  are  terrible 
head-cutters  and  make  their  war-like  expeditions 
to  enrich  themselves  with  skulls  of  their  enemies. 
They  never  pardon  offenses  received,  and  each  one 
of  their  chiefs  keeps  a  minute  account  of  the  heads 
that  have  been  taken  by  the  neighboring  ranch- 
erias,  so  that  they  can  make  reprisals.  It  is  not 
believed,  however,  that  all  are  so  barbarous  as  is 
indicated  by  these  customs.  These  pueblos  have 
called  attention  to  some  of  their  industries  and  for 
the  energy  in  the  difficult  agriculture  of  their  wild 
territory,  which  can  only  produce  certain  articles, 
such  as  rice  in  places  artificially  watered.  The  ex- 
ploration of  gold  and  copper,  long  before  the  dis- 
5 


?8  THROUGH    LUZON. 

covery  of  the  Island,  has  called  for  notice  by  the 
skillful  manner  of  its  extraction  in  the  mountains. 
These  people  are  monogamists,  but  obtain  divorces 
easily  and  marry  again.  Among  these  tribes  have 
been  recognized  small  idols  called  Anitos,  and  rep- 
resent, coarsely,  a  human  figure  seated  with  the 
head  between  the  hands  and  elbows  on  the  knees. 

Tinguitoanes.  The  different  groups  which  most 
especially  bear  this  name,  constitute  a  race  which 
from  time  past  had  the  distinction  of  calling  for 
general  attention.  They  occupy  a  large  part  of 
the  province  of  Abra,  the  mountains  of  Union  and 
both  Ilocos.  Those  of  Abra  who  can  be  consid- 
ered the  most  general  type,  are  well  formed,  with 
rather  light  skin,  and  black,  abundant  hair.  They 
adorn  themselves  with  tattoo  and  blacken  their 
teeth.  It  is  very  original  the  combing  of  the  hair 
by  the  women.  It  is  separated  in  front  by  a  string 
of  glass  beads,  tied  on  top,  falling  backward  to  one 
side.  The  men  also  wear  their  hair  long,  tied  in 
rolls  on  the  crown  of  the  head.  Other  adornments 
are  strings  of  glass  beads  placed  around  the  fore- 
arm of  young  female  infants  and  are  never  re- 
moved. When  the  child  is  grown  the  wrist  is  com- 
pletely deformed.  They  are  good  agriculturalists, 
but  not  fond  of  this  class  of  work,  in  which  wo- 
men take  a  large  part.  They  raise  chickens,  hogs, 


CROSSING   THE    CARABALLOS.  79 

horses,  carabao  and  cattle.  The  woods  of  the  for- 
ests are  worked,  cloth  woven,  and  metals  made  into 
different  articles.  With  these  and  other  products 
some  commerce  is  carried  on.  Matrimony  is  gen- 
erally contracted  by  parents  while  the  parties  to  it 
are  mere  children.  Though  they  are  monogam- 
ists, divorces  are  both  used  and  abused.  Being 
docile  and  with  a  preference  for  peace,  they  yet 
also  take  pleasure  in  carrying  the  head  of  an  enemy 
to  their  habitation. 

Apayaos.  These  occupy  the  mountains  which 
separate  the  provinces  of  Ilocos  and  Cagayan,  and 
a  large  territory  of  the  latter.  They  are  tall  and 
robust,  eyes  often  inclined,  hair  long  and  teeth 
painted  black.  Their  arms,  especially  the  hatchet 
and  shield,  are  distinct,  but  what  most  calls  for  re- 
mark are  the  habitations,  which  are  clean,  with 
floors  of  sawn  boards  and  decorated  with  China 
dishes.  Upon  the  walls  are  arms  of  their  forefa- 
thers placed  in  elegant  rattan  racks,  and  from  these 
hang  a  small  decanter  of  liquor  or  brandy,  in  honor 
of  the  memory  of  the  deceased.  They  are  good 
agriculturalists  and  have  a  small  trade  in  the  pro- 
ducts of  the  soil,  most  important  of  which  is  the 
fine  quality  of  tobacco.  They  are  also  terrible  head- 
hunters  and  celebrate  their  triumphs  with  grand 
feasts. 


8o  THROUGH    LUZON. 

Tagalos.  This  group  is  the  most  commonly 
named  by  many  writers,  who  have  generalized 
them  as  all  Christian  Malays  of  the  Philippines. 
The  true  Tagalo  inhabits  the  provinces  of  Bataan, 
Bulucan,  Nueva  Ecija,  Morong,  Laguna,  Manila, 
Cavite,  Batangas,  Tayabas  and  the  northern  part 
of  Mindoro.  The  Tagalo  of  Manila,  who  is  most 
frequently  described,  constitutes  some  exception 
to  others  of  the  race  on  account  of  the  friction  and 
mixture  with  the  more  cultivated  and  heterogen- 
ious  classes  which  live  in  the  capital  of  the  archipel- 
ago. 

In  general  the  Tagalo  is  of  medium  stature  and 
in  color  a  light  copper.  The  eyes  are  large  and 
black,  with  pupil  also  large.  The  nose  is  wide 
and  protruding;  lips  gross,  teeth  strong  and  no 
beard.  The  better  classes  dress  a  la  Europea,  and 
in  cases  where  possible,  wear  fine  jewelry.  Those 
of  the  middle  classes,  the  female  part,  have  the 
same  costume  as  previously  described,  a  piece  of 
cloth  wrapped  around  the  waist,  falling  to  just  be- 
low the  knees.  A  white  petticoat  and  blouse  or 
chimese  is  also  worn.  The  habitations  are  gener- 
ally one  large  room,  built  of  bamboo  and  nipa  with 
kitchen  detached,  and  the  floor  raised  above 
ground  three  or  four  feet  to  prevent  dampness. 
The  more  well-to-do  have  houses  built  of  hard 


CROSSING   THE    CARABALLOS.  81 

wood,  with  roofs  of  corrugated  iron  and  in  many 
cases  are  luxuriously  furnished  in  a  European  man- 
ner. 

In  trade  they  are  apt  in  all  that  requires  natural 
ability.  At  hard  work,  at  which  they  are  occupied 
six  or  eight  hours  a  day,  they  show  no  fatigue  and 
are  eager  in  accomplishing  it.  For  some  years 
many  Tagalos  have  obtained  academic  degrees  and 
in  study  show  great  memory.  Their  most  com- 
mon food  is  vegetables,  rice  and  fish,  with  occa- 
sionally fresh  meat.  , 

Their  character  is  soft  and  submissive  to  super- 
iors, but  arrogant  to  inferiors.  Astute,  suspicious, 
hospitable,  vain,  of  clear  perception,  with  volatile 
passions,  though  very  fond  of  gambling,  dancing 
and  all  kinds  of  fiestas. 

Many  other  tribes  are  known,  but  their  import- 
ance is  not  sufficient  as  to  call  for  a  specially  de- 
tailed description. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  VALLEY  OF  THE  RIO  MAGAT. 

THE  trail  was  hourly  becoming  better,  with 
and  our  speed  was  greater  and  more  sat- 
here  and  there  stretches  of  a  wagon  road, 
isfactory.     At  one  point  the  line  was  halted  and  a 
general  hunt  with  shot  guns  and  rifles  was  indulged 
in  for  ducks,  which  were  flying  in  myriads  over- 
head, but  the  grass  and  the  cane  were  found  too 
thick  to  penetrate  even  on  horseback,  to  the  ponds 
and  the  pursuit  was  abandoned. 

Just  as  the  day  was  waning  our  hearts  were  glad- 
dened by  the  welcome  sight  of  the  evening  sun 
sinking  in  the  western  sea,  his  horizontal  rays  fall- 
ing upon  the  village  of  Aritao,  beautiful  as  a  canvas 
by  a  master  hand,  silent  and  with  wonted  quiet- 
ness; lying  snugly  against  the  base  of  the  hills, 
with  the  Rio  Mizioli  flowing  gracefully  at  its  front, 
presenting  a  picture  of  well-built  houses  of  stone 
and  brick,  quite  in  contrast  with  the  low  nipa  huts 
so  common  in  the  country  passed  through. 
82 


THE  VALLEY   OF  THE   RIO   MAGAT.  83 

The  "Presidente  Local,"  an  elderly  man  of  pleas- 
ing manners,  received  us  with  kindlier  hospitality, 
if  possible,  than  any  of  the  preceding  representa- 
tives of  Aguinaldo's  government.  He  led  the  way 
to  the  "convento,"  an  immense  building  not  yet 
quite  completed,  but  showing  the  great  hewn  tim- 
bers of  heavy  hard  wood  of  which  it  was  construct- 
ed, the  boards  used  for  partitions  giving  an  idea  of 
the  infinite  amount  of  labor  required  in  cutting  and 
shaping  them  by  hand  and  in  bringing  out  the  ex- 
quisitely fine  texture  of  the  wood.  One  can  not 
cease  marveling  at  the  fabulous  wealth  to  be  ex- 
tracted from  these  timber  lands  in  the  Philippines 
when  once  properly  exploited  in  a  commercial  way. 
Especially  is  this  true  of  the  pine,  which  in  districts 
adjacent  to  this  province  grows  to  colossal  height 
and  prodigious  dimensions. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  know  that  the  public 
edifices  were  all  built  by  those  who  paid  tribute  to 
the  government  and  this,  under  Spanish  rule,  was 
exacted  as  follows :  Each  head  of  a  family  must  pay 
annually  fifteen  pesetas,  or  $3.00,  and  in  addition 
gave  forty  days'  work  a  year  upon  the  roads  and 
buildings,  or  paid  a  fine  of  $3.00  for  his  absence 
or  neglect  to  do  so.  The  other  tributes  embraced 
all  inhabitants  over  sixteen  years  and  under  sixty, 
who  paid  half  tribute,  to  which  the  sum  of  25  cents 
a  year  to  be  given  to  the  church,  was  added. 


84  THROUGH    LUZON. 

The  church  building,  an  old,  weather-beaten  edi- 
fice, erected  in  the  sixteenth  century,  adjoined  the 
"convento,"  and  was  occupied  for  a  short  time  by 
the  Filipino  soldiers,  but  their  superstitious  fears 
that  the  saints  might  at  night  walk  out  of  their 
wooden  representations,  deterred  them  from  using 
it  as  a  barracks. 

The  Presidente  and  his  official  household — neat- 
ly dressed  and  intelligent  looking  "naturales,"  as 
the  Spaniards  call  them,  were  most  assiduous  in 
their  attentions  and  supplied  us  with  sweat  meats, 
excellent  coffee  grown  in  the  village,  and  great 
bunches  of  cigars.  While  we  were  at  supper  the 
local  brass  band  gave  us  a  serenade,  and  continued 
it  long  into  the  night. 

It  appeared  to  me  here,  that  the  local  govern- 
ment was  fairly  well  organized  and  worked  success- 
fully, and  my  entire  party  was  carefully  attended  to 
by  these  representative  men.  In  the  early  morn- 
ing the  band  reappeared  and  played  some  familiar 
waltz  time  pieces,  and  when  we  formed  in  line  and 
continued  our  journey,  they  followed  us  for  some 
distance  out  of  town,  the  native  soldiers  firing  their 
Remingtons  as  a  parting  salute,  which,  from  mo- 
tives of  prudence,  I  did  not  return,  fearing  all  our 
ammunition  might  be  required  later  on  in  dealing 
with  the  fearful  Igorrotes,  but  who,  I  regret  to 


THE  VALLEY  OF  THE  RIO   MAGAT.          85 

say,  were  not  accommodating  enough  to  furnish 
me  with  an  opportunity  for  an  encounter  with 
them,  as  a  study  of  a  dead  Igorrote  would  have 
been  an  interesting  one. 

Through  an  almost  impenetrable  thicket  the 
trail  brought  us  to  another  river.  The  thoughtful- 
ness  of  the  leading  officials  at  Dupax  had  prompted 
him  to  send  a  number  of  natives  with  a  chair  to 
carry  me  across  the  stream,  but  the  sturdy  native 
pony  I  brought  from  Manila  was  equal  to  the  oc- 
casion. 

Dupax  is  a  newly  built  village  containing  two 
imposing  edifices,  the  church  and  school  house, 
and  is  the  starting  point  of  wide,  level  roads  ex- 
tending for  some  miles  beyond.  The  Presidente 
was  ill  and  I  made  a  personal  call  on  him.  I  found 
him  intelligent  and  agreeable,  and  his  fine  looking 
wife,  pleasing  in  manner  and  very  hospitable. 

After  a  short  talk,  the  line  was  on  a  move  for 
Bambang.  The  roads  were  wide  and  good,  and  on 
either  side  the  fields  were  filled  with  women  and 
girls  standing  ankle-deep  in  water,  planting  rice; 
separating  the  spears  of  the  plants  and  putting 
them  into  the  ground  by  hand.  A  large  hill  a  few 
miles  from  the  town  retarded  our  progress  not  a 
little,  but  we  were  here  met  by  a  few  natives  on 
horseback  sent  out  to  lead  the  way.  Soldiers  on 


86  THROUGH    LUZON. 

horseback  were  stationed  at  the  entrance  to  Bam- 
bang,  who  fired  their  rifles  in  our  honor;  the  bells 
in  the  convents  were  rung  and  with  banners  flying 
we  were  escorted  into  the  village.  On  reaching 
our  stopping  place  and  dismounting,  Senor  Aguin- 
aldo,  a  cousin  of  Don  Emilio,  the  president  of  the 
republic,  met  us  and  threw  his  arms  around  me  in 
the  heartiest  sort  of  welcome.  He  was  a  neat, 
bright,  nervous  young  man  in  military  dress ;  and, 
though  short  in  stature,  he  appeared  quite  officer- 
like  in  all  his  bearings,  with  his  silver  mounted 
sword  and  revolver — captured  Spanish  trophies. 
Nothing  remained  for  me  but  to  accept  his  prof- 
fered kindness  and  remain  there  that  night.  It  was 
a  welcome  rest  for  every  member  of  the  party,  both 
man  and  beast. 

Senora  Aguinaldo  was  presented,  appearing  in 
typical  costume,  and  sweetly  smiling  her  undoubt- 
ed delight  at  having  us  for  her  guest.  In  spite  of 
a  dark  exterior,  one  can  easily  fathom  a  manifesta- 
tion of  like  or  dislike  on  the  face  of  a  Filipino  man 
or  woman,  and  I  do  not  remember  having  ever 
seen  in  the  expression  of  the  dark  brown  eyes  of 
the  female  population  other  than  the  kindly  suavi- 
ty of  their  gentle  nature.  Soon  the  village  digni- 
taries made  their  call,  mostly  young  men  of  inquir- 
ing minds  and  absorbing  natures,  one  of  whom,  I 


THE  VALLEY   OF  THE   RIO   MAGAT.  87 

learned,  was  a  school  teacher  and  a  most  interest- 
ing man.  His  chief  aim  and  wish  in  life  was  to 
gain  more  knowledge,  and  he  expressed  a  great 
desire  to  visit  the  United  States.  During  the  en- 
joyable dinner  which  was  served,  these  young  men 
plunged  deeply  into  a  fund  of  questions  which  they 
had  evidently  prepared  for  us,  and  I  was  greatly 
pleased  with  this  opportunity  of  informing  them 
of  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from  a  wider  view 
of  the  outside  world  in  general.  But  to  combat 
the  egoism  and  self-sufficiency  of  this  younger  ele- 
ment is  no  easy  task. 

As  the  dinner  drew  to  a  close,  cigars  in  abund- 
ance were  furnished.  The  local  orchestra  sta- 
tioned in  the  hall,  struck  up  a  pleasing  tune  and  the 
soothing  strains  were  heard  until  long  after  mid- 
night. The  Filipino  would  rather  furnish  music 
than  go  to  church,  and  is  as  handy  with  a  violin  as 
with  a  bolo.  The  beds  to  which  we  were  shown 
were  neat  and  clean  and  quite  as  good  as  those 
furnished  by  country  hotels  in  the  United  States, 
so  we  rested  well  and  comfortably,  quite  satisfied 
with  this  improvement  over  a  tent  and  the  bare 
ground. 

At  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning,  with  bells  ring- 
ing, fusilades  of  guns  and  an  eager-looking  popul- 
ace out  in  force  to  witness  our  departure,  Senor 


88  THROUGH    LUZON. 

Aguinaldo,  mounted  on  his  handsome  stallion,  cov- 
ered with  silver  trappings,  at  the  head  of  the  pro- 
cession, led  the  way  towards  Bayombong,  the  cap- 
ital of  the  province  of  Nueva  Vizcaya,  several  miles 
directly  north.  The  roads  were  very  good  and 
the  day  was  pleasant.  As  in  other  sections  through 
which  we  had  passed,  on  either  side  of  the  road, 
along  the  entire  distance,  were  seen  busy  women 
and  girls  in  the  rice  fields,  working  with  apparent 
cheerfulness. 

The  garrisons  of  the  Spanish  soldiers  in  the  town 
throughout  this  portion  of  the  island  seemed  to 
have  all  turned  bandits.  They  robbed  day  and 
night,  right  and  left,  stealing  all  the  valuable  horses 
for  their  own  use,  killing  the  working  animals — 
the  caribao — burning  villages  where  the  popula- 
tion was  too  small  to  resist  or  unable  to  defend 
themselves,  and  destroying  wherever  possible  all 
means  of  subsistence.  The  Filipino,  though,  is  a 
resourceful  being,  and  with  only  his  bolo  can  re- 
tire into  the  forest,  build  for  himself  a  shelter,  and 
find  sufficient  food  among  the  roots,  leaves  and 
herbs.  Traps  are  made  for  all  kinds  of  game — 
deer,  wild  boar,  and  caribao  de  los  montanas.  Fire 
is  easily  produced  by  rubbing  together  two  pieces 
of  bamboo.  But  the  most  serious  thing  they  have 
to  contend  with  is  the  scarcity  of  salt.  During  my 


THE  VALLEY  OF  THE  RIO   MAGAT.          89 

trip  I  encountered  the  same  difficulty,  rinding  an 
insufficient  supply  of  this  most  useful  and  necessary 
condiment  in  every  town. 

In  conversation  with  Senor  Aguinaldo,  who  was 
riding  along  side  of  me,  I  found  he  was  the  owner 
of  much  of  the  land  then  being  cultivated,  he  hav- 
ing married  a  native  girl  whose  father  was  wealthy 
and  who  conveniently  died  shortly  after  the  mar- 
riage ceremony.  He,  Senor  Aguinaldo,  was  not 
much  concerned  about  any  form  of  government  so 
long  as  he  was  permitted,  without  molestation,  to 
pursue  the  tilling  of  the  soil  with  his  150  male  and 
female  employees. 

Notice  had  been  sent  by  courier  to  Bayombong 
of  our  approaching,  and  as  we  reached  the  Rio 
Magat,  usually  a  roaring  torrent  at  this  season,  and 
about  two  miles  from  the  town,  I  observed  on  the 
opposite  bank  a  party  of  men  on  horseback  await- 
ing our  arrival.  Men,  saddles,  and  equipments 
were  quickly  loaded  into  pancas  or  narrow  boats, 
and  the  turbulent  stream  was  crossed  without  acci- 
dent, but  our  horses  were  forced  to  swim,  and  it 
was  with  great  concern  that  I  saw  some  of  them 
go  under  the  water  several  times.  But  the  natives 
handled  them  with  admirable  skill  and  landed  them 
on  terra  firma  without  damage  or  loss. 


90  THROUGH    LUZON. 

The  "Presidente  local,"  a  young,  bright-looking 
fellow,  and  his  assistant,  waited  only  until  Aguinal- 
do's  horse  and  my  own  animal  had  crossed  the 
stream,  and  leaving  the  rest  to  follow  us,  we  rode 
in  a  gallop  into  the  town.  The  band  played  and 
the  inhabitants  turned  out  as  we  reined  up  and  dis- 
mounted in  front  of  the  "Presidencia."  I  was 
asked  up-stairs  into  a  large  reception  room,  fol- 
lowed shortly  by  the  provincial  and  local  officials, 
who  took  seats  and  chairs  arranged  in  two  rows 
about  five  feet  apart,  while  I  was  placed  at  the 
head  of  the  company.  I  observed  that  the  young 
Presidente  had  nothing  to  say,  but  an  officer  in  the 
Filipino  uniform  soon  made  it  plain  to  me  that 
he  was  the  most  important  individual  among  them. 
He  was  a  stout,  finely-built  young  man,  with  a 
severe  countenance,  wearing  an  expression  which 
betokened  suspicion.  After  speaking  a  few  words 
to  some  of  the  others  in  a  low  tone,  he  said  to  me : 

"Have  you  a  pass  to  visit  this  town?" 

"I  have  not,"  I  replied. 

"Who,  then,  has  had  the  grace  to  invite  you  into 
this  province?"  he  inquired. 

From  his  manner  I  regarded  this  question  as 
tinged  with  more  or  less  insolence,  and  with  as 
much  sarcasm  as  I  could  command  in  Spanish,  I 
answered : 


THE  VALLEY   OF   THE   RIO   MAGAT.  9' 

"I  don't  know."  And  I  might  have  added,  "And 
I  don't  care." 

He  began  walking  around  the  room,  while  I 
consumed  the  time  in  looking  over  the  members 
of  the  Junta  of  the  province.  One  very  dark  in- 
dividual, almost  black,  I  afterwards  discovered, 
was  a  member  of  the  Filipino  Congress.  In  a  few 
moments  this  gentleman  seated  himself  beside  me 
and  said  he  desired  to  know  how  I  had  got  this  far 
without  interference.  He  then  made  some  cut- 
ting remarks  to  Aguinaldo,  who  sat  close  by,  for 
permitting  us  to  pass  through  his  village  of  Bam- 
bang.  Immediately  after  this  talk,  Aguinaldo, 
who  was  to  remain  with  me,  disappeared,  and  re- 
traced his  steps  homeward  in  haste  and  in  great 
fear  of  the  consequences  of  this  official's  displeas- 
ure. I  then  asked  this  man  to  await  the  arrival 
of  my  lieutenant,  Sargent,  whom,  I  informed  him, 
had  been  to  see  Don  Emilio  Aguinaldo  personally, 
at  Malolos,  and  he  would  explain  the  matter,  to 
which  assent  was  given ;  but  even  this  explanation 
was  unsatisfactory,  and  as  there  was  a  telegraph 
line  from  this  place  to  Aparri,  where  the  colonel  of 
this  military  zone  was  located,  no  time  was  lost  in 
dispatching  messages. 

Notwithstanding  this  unpleasantness  we  were 
served  with  a  substantial  dinner  and  invited  for  a 


92  THROUGH    LUZON. 

siesta  to  the  home  of  Senor  Ariola,  a  gentleman  in 
every  sense,  well  educated,  a  lawyer  and  the  prin- 
cipal member  of  the  Junta.  Later  in  the  after- 
noon we  were  called  for  chocolate  and  cakes,  both 
most  excellent  and  served  in  dainty  china  cups. 

As  the  sun  was  sinking  low  in  the  west  I  noticed 
seven  priests,  robed  in  white,  taking  a  pasear  in 
front  of  the  cathedral,  and  as  the  vesper  bell  sound- 
ed, each  one  devoutly  knelt  and  crossed  himself, 
praying,  no  doubt,  for  freedom,  for  they  were  mili- 
tary prisoners  in  the  hands  of  their  own  parishion- 
ers. It  was  said  that  these  friars  had  a  large  quan- 
tity of  guns  and  ammunition  in  their  possession, 
which  was  captured  by  the  insurgents,  and  for  this 
reason  they  would  be  considered  prisoners  of  war. 
I  am  quite  sure  they  were  being  well  treated  and 
fed  as  well  as  could  be  under  the  condition  then 
existing.  It  was  not  the  church,  per  se,  that  the 
Fliipino  opposed,  but  the  individual  who  adminis- 
tered its  rites,  and  I  hesitate  to  believe  as  true  the 
tales  told  me  as  to  the  cause  of  this  antagonism  on 
the  part  of  the  Filipinos  for  these  now  helpless  and 
imprisoned  representatives  of  the  Church  Univer- 
sal. 


A  NICtiRITO. 


CHAPTER  V. 

FROM  BAYOMBONG  TO  CARIG. 

BAYOMBONG  is  an  attractive  place  of  con- 
siderable dimensions.  Its  houses  are  sub- 
stantially built  of  brick  and  stone,  and  its  streets, 
though  in  some  places  overgrown  with  rank  grass, 
are  wide  and  clean.  The  surrounding  country  is 
fair  to  look  upon,  and  only  needs  to  be  "tickled 
with  the  hoe  to  laugh  with  the  harvest."  Some- 
thing inspiring  must  be  infused  into  the  native 
mind  to  arouse  them  to  effort.  As  a  rule  they  love 
fine  clothes,  comfortable  houses  and  handsome 
decorations  in  gold  and  silver;  but  heretofore  they 
had  been  ingeniously  relieved  of  the  most  of  the 
fruits  of  their  labor  and  toil,  without  reward,  for 
the  maintenance  of  others  in  luxurious  idleness. 
Inevitably  this  would  result  in  discontent  and  breed 
habits  of  slovenly  indolence.  Had  the  money  of 
which  they  had  been  despoiled  through  excessive 
taxation  been  expended  in  building  up  and  devel- 
oping the  resources  of  the  country,  and  had  the 
6  95 


96  THROUGH    LUZON. 

benefits  of  this  industrial  expansion  been  given  to 
those  to  whom  it  properly  belonged,  it  would  have 
furnished  an  incentive  for  the  application  of  native 
talent,  which  could  not  have  resulted  otherwise 
than  in  producing  a  race  of  manly,  loyal,  self-re- 
specting citizens. 

Senor  Ariola  was  one  of  the  finest  type  of  the 
Filipino  man  whom  I  had  ever  had  the  pleasure  of 
meeting.  His  house  was  well  furnished ;  he  had  a 
good  library  of  rare  books;  a  sala  or  drawing  room, 
decorated  with  artistic  taste;  stained  glass  parti- 
tions throughout  the  hall,  and  a  dining  room  sup- 
plied with  choice  linen  and  the  best  of  china.  The 
garden  was  filled  with  beautiful  flowers  and  the 
walks  lined  with  coffee  and  cocoa  trees  in  bearing. 
A  Jersey  cow  furnished  the  family  with  cream,  and 
the  whole  aspect  of  the  surroundings  bespoke  com- 
fort and  happiness.  Senora  Ariola  was  unceasing 
in  her  attentions,  and,  while  not  seating  herself 
with  us  at  the  table,  stood  near  to  direct  the  serv- 
ants in  waiting.  The  viands  were  all  of  the  best, 
properly  cooked  and  elegantly  served,  and  we  ate 
the  first  wheat  bread  we  had  tasted  since  leaving 
Manila.  The  coffee  from  the  fields  owned  by  our 
host  was  most  delicious,  especially  with  cream,  and 
his  sherry  and  port  wines  revealed  their  age  and 
choice  vintage.  Cigars  in  these  parts  are  always 
plentiful  and  of  fine  quality. 


FROM    BAYOMBONG   TO    CARIG.  97 

Upon  retiring  to  the  Sala  we  found  some  mem- 
bers of  the  local  government  awaiting  us,  among 
whom  was  the  telegraph  operator,  who  informed 
me  that  no  reply  had  been  received  to  the  message 
sent  to  Colonel  Tirano.  This  Filipino  was  consid- 
ered a  competent  operator,  but  he  complained  bit- 
terly of  the  manner  in  which  he  was  being  paid  for 
his  services  under  the  Spanish  regime.  He  was 
then  receiving  seventy-five  Mexican  dollars  a 
month,  he  said,  while  the  Spanish  official  desig- 
nated to  oversee  this  work  commanded  $150  for 
the  same  period.  It  was  so  in  all  other  official  em- 
ployment. As  an  instance:  A  shoemaker  who 
could  scarcely  read  or  write — for  political  reasons 
—was  assigned  to  and  had  charge  of  a  post  at  a 
large  salary,  while  the  Filipino  under  him,  who  did 
all  the  work,  was  paid  but  a  trifle  in  comparison. 
It  is  amazing  to  see  how  well  these  natives  can 
read  and  write  when  their  limited  opportunities  for 
learning  are  considered.  Large  numbers  of  them 
have  at  one  time  or  other  been  attached  to  some 
official  post,  so  that,  when  their  oppressors  were 
overthrown,  they  were  prepared  to  supplant  them 
in  office,  and  in  many  instances  they  conducted  the 
affairs  of  state  with  a  greater  degree  of  efficiency 
than  was  displayed  by  their  Spanish  predecessors. 


98  THROUGH    LUZON. 

I  informed  Senor  Ariola  that  I  was  most  anxious 
to  proceed  on  my  journey  the  following  morning, 
and  called  his  attention  to  the  fact  that  until  the 
present  instance  I  had  met  with  no  interference  be- 
cause of  my  failure  to  procure  a  pass.  I  also  told 
him  that  such  a  condition  was  unknown  in  the 
United  States,  and  foreigners  were  free  to  go  and 
come  at  will  and  if  I  were  delayed  I  must  consider 
it  a  serious  commentary  upon  his  form  of  govern- 
ment, which  I  would  very  much  regret  to  be 
obliged  to  do.  There  was  no  war  existing  and 
none  in  contemplation ;  and  he  promised  his  best 
efforts  for  our  early  departure. 

The  conversation  continued  until  nearly  mid- 
night, when  chocolate  and  wine  were  served  in  the 
dining  room.  The  lieutenant  of  our  escort  entered 
the  room  and  joined  us,  and  before  he  was  aware  of 
it  we  had  inveigled  him  into  a  very  modest  descrip- 
tion of  his  attack  and  capture  of  the  Spanish  garri- 
son at  San  Isidro,  the  capital  of  the  province  of 
Nueva  Ecija.  His  face  was  badly  scarred,  show- 
ing personal  encounter  with  his  antagonists.  The 
manner  in  which  the  capture  of  so  large  a  body  of 
well-armed  Spaniards  was  accomplished  was  well- 
nigh  incredible,  but  his  candor  and  ingenuous  man- 
ner impressed  me  deeply.  A  party  consisting  of 
only  nine  insurgents  had  posted  themselves  around 


FROM    BAYOMBONG   TO   CARIG.  99 

the  fortifications  of  San  Isidro,  and  during  the 
whole  night  kept  up  an  incessant  fire  upon  the 
enemy  from  their  different  locations,  creating  the 
impression  among  the  Spaniards  that  they  were 
being  attacked  in  great  force.  The  frightened 
garrison  and  the  guardia  civil — the  native  soldiers 
attached  thereto — hastily  retired  behind  the  walls 
of  the  fort  for  safety.  In  the  early  morning  the 
besiegers  were  reinforced,  and  with  flourishing 
"bolos"  and  wild  yells  they  attacked  the  fort,  re- 
ceiving assistance  from  some  of  the  natives  within. 
The  Spaniards,  almost  paralyzed  with  fear,  stam- 
peded and  then  surrendered,  and  a  large  quantity 
of  guns,  small  arms  and  ammunition  were  secured 
by  the  insurgents.  Many  feats  of  daring  were  re- 
counted, in  which  I  was  so  absorbed  as  to  be- 
come oblivious  to  the  flight  of  time  until  the  strik- 
ing of  two  o'clock  recalled  me  to  the  present  and 
reminded  me  that  I  should  have  been  abed  hours 
before. 

The  military  official  who  had  shown  such  ill- 
feeling  the  day  before,  appeared  early  the  next 
morning,  and  his  aspect  had  completely  changed, 
for  we  had  obtained  permission  to  continue  our 
journey.  With  him  was  the  governor  of  the  prov- 
ince, Senor  Sebastian  Panganiban,  an  elderly  man 
of  fine  appearance,  who  was  to  accompany  us  a 


ioo  THROUGH    LUZON. 

few  miles  to  his  home,  Solano.  The  train  was  soon 
formed  in  line,  and  with  expressions  of  thanks  to 
our  host  we  moved  out  of  Bayombong  with  kind- 
est wishes,  our  entertainment  by  Senor  Ariola  hav- 
ing overcome  any  feeling  of  resentment  for  the 
other  members  of  the  Junta.  As  I  passed  around 
his  house  I  saw  the  wife  of  Senor  Ariola  leaning 
out  of  the  window,  to  whom  I  said,  lifting  my 
slouch  hat:  "Adios,  Senora,"  to  which,  with  a 
cheerful  smile  she  replied,  "Adios." 

Very  good  roads  were  encountered  most  of  the 
way  to  Solano.  The  governor  general  drove  in 
his  quiles,  a  rather  pretentious  sort  of  a  carriage, 
and  led  the  way  to  his  home,  where  he  halted  long 
enough  to  introduce  me  to  his  wife  and  family, 
who  insisted  upon  our  remaining  to  lunch ;  but  I 
was  forced  to  decline  in  order  to  reach  Bagabag 
that  night. 

The  governor  filled  our  pockets  with  some  good 
cigars  and  offered  us  some  good  gin,  which  is  the 
only  foreign  liquor  found  in  the  provinces.  He 
had  quite  a  number  of  Igorrotes,  mansos,  male 
and  female,  threshing  rice  on  the  lower  floor  of  his 
building.  These  people  were  interesting  from  an 
ethnological  point  of  view,  even  though  they  gave 
no  evidence  of  fierceness.  The  governor  general 
said  they  were  docile  and  submissive,  good  work- 


FROM    BAYOMBONG  TO    CARIG.  101 

ers  and  harmless.  But  I  noticed  that  disease  had 
already  attacked  them  and  of  such  a  nature  that 
their  destruction  sooner  or  later  was  certain.  An 
incident  which  shows  the  means  adopted  by  the 
Spanish  officials  to  mislead  the  people  at  home, 
was  the  capture  of  a  band  of  Igorrotes  and  the 
exhibition  at  Barcelona,  Spain,  as  specimens  of  the 
class  of  people  inhabiting  these  regions,  and  which 
produced  serious  resentment  in  the  minds  of  the 
Tagalos  and  the  intelligent  people  of  Manila. 

The  country  lying  between  Solano  and  Bagabag 
was  an  undulating,  fertile  stretch  of  about  eight 
miles,  but  our  speed  was  rendered  slow  by  cane 
brakes  and  thickets.  The  road  denied,  crossing 
small  streams  with  steep  banks  which  were  most 
difficult  of  ascent,  the  horses  being  unable  to  gain 
a  foothold  preparatory  to  making  a  climb.  One  of 
our  old  bagadores,  finding  himself  separated  from 
the  others,  raised  such  a  howl,  the  live  chickens 
which  he  carried  across  his  shoulders  adding  to  the 
wail,  that  I  thought  horses,  men  and  outfit  had 
been  lost  in  the  river.  With  the  corporal  of  the 
guard  I  turned  back,  crossed  the  river  again  and 
waited  until  the  old  man  emerged  from  the  brush. 
The  corporal  was  so  angry  that  he  jabbed  his  bayo- 
net into  the  man's  stomach,  but  not  to  a  sufficient 
depth  to  cause  a  serious  wound. 


102  THROUGH    LUZON. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  of  October  22,  we  filed  in- 
to Bagabag  and  were  met  by  the  leading  official, 
who  escorted  us  to  his  domicile.  Here  was  com- 
fort enough  for  two  weary  Americans  who  had  be- 
come inured  to  travel  through  hedges  and  hills 
and  water  ways  through  Northern  Luzon. 

The  customary  good  dinner  was  prepared,  chick- 
ens, morisquita  bread  and  some  rare  wine.     Later 
we  were  asked  to  listen  to  the  rendition  of  some 
music  at  the  home  of  a  prominent  resident  of  the 
village,  and  to  indulge  in  a  baile.     I  was  not  bent 
on  dancing  in  my  wet  shoes,  but  nevertheless  ac- 
cepted the  invitation,  and  was  well  repaid.     A  fine 
piano  stood  in  the  sala,  and  seated  about  the  room 
were  about  a  dozen  of  the  handsomest  senoritas  of 
the    place,    who,    with    their    embroidered    pina 
dresses,  and  graceful  manners,  added  to  the  beauty 
of  the  scene.     I  was  delighted  and  surprised  to 
find  so  many  accomplished  performers  among  the 
young  women  in  this  remote  locality,  and  won- 
dered at  seeing  a  piano  that  must  have  been  car- 
ried over  mountain  chains  in  reaching  here.     It 
but  proves  the  great  interest  the  Filipino  takes  in 
music.     The  usual  apologies  were  offered  for  not 
having  better   means   of   entertainment   in   food, 
but   this   was  always  responded   to   by   our   say- 
ing we  were  glad,  indeed,  to  fare  so  well,  which  was 
true. 


FROM    BAYOMBONG   TO    CARIG.  103 

In  discussing  our  trip  for  the  following  day,  I 
was  told  that  only  a  few  days  previously  a  woman 
had  been  murdered  by  the  Igorrotes,  and,  that  dur- 
ing the  last  few  weeks  fully  twenty  persons  had 
met  death  along  this  trail — the  hot-bed  of  the  sav- 
ages of  this  district.  With  fear  for  our  safety, 
these  men  considered  it  unwise  to  run  the  risk,  but 
Sargent  invited  rather  than  shirked  the  dangers, 
and  his  courage  inspired  the  officials  into  making 
preparations  that  would  frustrate  any  attempt  of 
the  Igorrotes  to  attack  us.  A  party  of  soldiers  was 
gathered  together,  and"  many  native  followers 
joined  our  expedition  to  assist  in  our  protection. 

The  Rio  Magat  was  very  much  swollen,  but  had 
to  be  crossed  a  short  distance  from  the  starting 
point.  This  was  done  on  bancas  made  of  bamboo 
poles  lashed  together  in  a  large  bundle — a  shaky, 
treacherous  contrivance,  which  the  least  motion  to 
one  side  or  the  other  would  overturn  and  plunge 
the  passengers  into  the  water,  and  perhaps  furnish 
a  meal  for  the  numerous  alligators.  When  this 
stream  had  been  crossed  in  safety  our  line  was 
formed,  with  ourselves  and  soldiers  in  front  and 
the  loaded  animals  in  the  rear,  and  a  start  made 
over  a  very  indistinct  trail,  along  which  the  Igor- 
rotes  were  supposed  to  be  in  hiding,  but  by  dis- 
charging our  guns  into  the  clumps  of  bushes  and 


104  THROUGH    LUZON. 

long  grass,  we  either  intimidated  them  or  they 
were  elsewheres.  Always  on  the  lookout  we  pur- 
sued our  way  to  Diadi,  an  estacamento  on  the  hills, 
where  a  company  of  Filipino  soldiers  was  stationed 
to  guard  the  roads,  and  here  a  halt  was  made  for 
lunch.  This  outpost  commanded  a  view  of  the 
surrounding  country,  which  was  one  of  exquisite 
grandeur.  Green  plains  were  seen  to  stretch  for 
miles  to  the  north,  irregularly  divided  by  winding 
streams.  Densely  wooded  mountains  seem  to  rest 
against  the  sky,  and  only  the  curling  smoke  of 
Igorrote  rancherias  betrayed  the  fact  that  human 
life  had  ever  disturbed  the  quietness  of  this  garden 
spot  in  the  valley  of  Rio  Grande. 

While  traversing  this  attractive  country,  which 
offers  so  much  to  tempt  the  husbandman,  we  met 
with  no  sign  of  life  until  nearing  the  village  of  Cor- 
don, where  could  be  seen  native  hunters  after  deer 
and  caribao  de  los  mountanas.  This  latter  animal 
furnishes  a  fine  quality  of  meat  and  has  a  peculiar, 
instinctive  trait  in  being  the  only  denizen  of  the 
forest  that  can  protect  itself  against  the  boa  con- 
srictors  which  are  somewhat  numerous  in  these 
parts.  When  the  caribao  is  pounced  upon  by  a 
boa  and  the  reptile  has  wrapped  itself  around  the 
body  for  the  squeezing  process  of  killing  the  ani- 
mal, the  caribao  slowly  draws  in  its  sides  until  the 


FROM    BAYOMBONG   TO    CARIG.  105 

boa  has  his  grip  fixed  securely  and  begins  to  tight- 
en up,  when  suddenly  the  caribao  inflates  his  lungs 
to  their  fullest,  spreads  his  sides,  tearing  the  verte- 
brae of  the  reptile  into  a  thousand  pieces. 
We  reached  Cordon  in  the  late  afternoon,  the 
trail  having  improved.  There  had  been  no  rain 
and  just  clouds  enough  to  shield  the  sun,  which  is 
a  great  boon  to  the  traveler  in  a  tropical  zone.  I 
was  given  good  accommodation  for  men  and 
horses  and  brought  face  to  face  with  the  fact  that 
much  goodness  of  heart  is  often  found  in  the  wilds 
of  Luzon.  The  village  was  ransacked  for  the  best 
of  food,  and  the  cooking  of  it  was  well  done.  No- 
tice was  sent  out  by  our  entertainers  to  local  talent 
to  be  present  and  furnish  amusement  for  us  after 
the  dinner.  Four  young  girls,  gaily  attired,  ap- 
peared with  their  castanets  to  dance  and  sing  for 
the  Americans,  which  they  did  with  grace  and  with 
cultivated  step.  Of  course  it  was  a  Spanish  cus- 
tom, but  one  would  not  expect  to  find  such  appar- 
ently well  trained  bailarinas  in  the  remote  fast- 
nesses of  an  undeveloped  country.  How  willing 
they  were  to  sing  and  dance  for  our  pleasure  was 
shown  by  their  continuing  to  do  so  until  a  regard 
for  their  weariness  made  further  demand  unkind. 

Our  progress  so  far  had  been  made  without  ser- 
ious obstruction  of  any  kind,  and  it  appeared  as 


io6  THROUGH    LUZON. 

though  we  would  accomplish  our  aim  with  less  dis- 
comfort and  opposition  than  even  the  most  san- 
guine had  considered  possible.  Conditions  changed 
however,  on  the  following  day.  With  the  morn- 
ing came  a  drizzling  rain,  but  there  was  no  post- 
ponement of  our  journey  on  account  of  the  weath- 
er, for  we  were  beginning  to  feel  quite  at  home 
with  water  over,  under  and  around  us,  and  shortly 
after  an  early  start,  we  passed  through  the  village 
of  Carig  to  the  river,  crossing  that  easily  and  find- 
ing a  fairly  good  road.  Our  baggage  had  been 
loaded  on  two-wheeled  carts  drawn  by  caribao,  and 
sent  on  an  hour  ahead.  A  short  distance  away, 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  we  observed  two 
military  men  riding  at  full  speed,  and  as  they  ap- 
proached they  commanded  us  to  halt.  The  spokes- 
man was  Simon  A.  Villa,  Commandante  Militar  of 
the  zone  of  the  province  of  Isabela,  and  his  com- 
panion, B.  Ventura  Guzam,  lieutenant  and  aid  to 
the  former.  They  had  ridden  night  and  day  from 
Ilagan  in  order  to  intercept,  and  turn  us  back  to 
Carig.  The  first  question  asked  was  about  passes, 
and  our  explanation  being  unsatisfactory,  Senor 
Villa  said  he  had  orders  from  Colonel  Tirano,  the 
commander  of  Northern  Luzon,  to  stop  us  at  Carig 
where  communication  would  be  opened  with 
Aguinaldo  to  ascertain  if  we  should  be  allowed  to 


FROM    BAYOMBONG   TO    CARIG.  107 

proceed.  I  requested  permission  to  send  the  carts 
ahead  to  Echague  that  night,  there  to  await  us; 
but  in  spite  of  all  our  reasoning  Villa  remained  in- 
flexible and  denied  us  even  this  small  favor,  so  we 
had  no  alternative  but  to  retrace  our  steps,  dis- 
gusted and  filled  to  overflowing  with  wrath,  sam- 
ples of  which  were  indiscriminately  showered  upon 
these  two  officers  without  fear,  favor  or  hope  of 
liberty.  It  was  now  a  question  of  diplomacy  as  to 
whether  we  should  endure  the  humilation  of  turn- 
ing our  backs  upon  our  fondest  hopes  and  again 
crossing  the  Carabello  mountains,  or  proceed 
along  the  route  we  had  mapped  out.  Our  feelings 
towards  Senor  Villa  were  not  of  the  most  pleasant 
kind,  and  these  must  be  overcome,  as  he  had  the 
power  to  do  with  us  as  suited  his  whim  or  fancy. 
He  was  domineering  almost  to  brutality  to  his  own 
people,  but  extended  to  us  all  the  comfort  possible 
in  the  way  of  food,  and  settled  us  in  the  convento, 
where,  practically  under  arrest,  we  were  to  remain 
for  many  days. 

The  convento  was  a  large,  well-built  structure, 
having  good  bed  rooms  and  a  dining  room.  The 
library  contained  all  the  records  of  the  parish,  be- 
sides many  old  and  valuable  books  that  no  doubt 
had  afforded  the  padre  many  pleasant  hours  of  pro- 
fitable occupation.  I  looked  these  through  during 


log  THROUGH    LUZON. 

the  first  few  days,  and  now  regret  that  I  did  not 
bring  some  of  them  with  me,  which  were  offered, 
but  which  I  declined  on  account  of  their  additional 
weight  to  our  baggage. 

Carig  was  a  telegraph  station  which  Senor  Villa 
used  to  communicate  with  Colonel  Tirano  at  Apar- 
ri.  The  first  two  days  were  spent  quietly  awaiting 
an  answer,  but  none  coming,  I  induced  Don  Tom- 
as  to  interview  the  telegraphista  and  find  out  how 
Colonel  Tirano  would  reach  Aguinaldo,  then  at 
San  Fernando.  He  came  back  with  the  information 
that  a  message  would  be  sent  to  Bayombong  and 
from  there  across  the  mountains  by  courier  to 
Dagupan,  thence  by  wire  to  San  Fernando,  and  we 
could  expect  a  reply  in  about  three  days.  This  I 
knew  to  be  impossible ;  it  was  but  a  malicious  sub- 
terfuge to  deceive  us.  Sargent  by  this  time  was 
becoming  impatient,  and  I  feared  his  anxiety  to 
proceed  would  endanger  the  great  object  I  had  in 
view,  and  urged  him  to  control  his  feelings  for  a 
few  days  more,  assuring  him  that  we  must  event- 
ually succeed,  at  all  hazards,  in  accomplishing  the 
undertaking.  The  next  day,  after  much  persua- 
sion, Villa  consented  to  our  telegraphing  to  Col. 
Tirano,  at  our  own  expense,  for  permission  to  pro- 
ceed as  far  as  I  lagan  and  await  a  reply  from  Aguin- 
aldo there.  During  these  days  of  waiting,  I  was 


FROM    BAYOMBONG    TO    CARIG.  109 

shown  a  message  from  Colonel  Tirano  to  Villa, 
saying  that  he  had  just  received  twenty  thousand 
stand  of  arms  and  ammunition,  and  would  send 
two  thousand  of  them  to  Carig. 

To  the  credit  of  Villa  and  Guzman  I  must  say 
they  did  all  things  possible  to  make  our  detention 
agreeable.  The  day  preceding  our  final  departure 
a  wild  boar  hunt  in  the  near-by  hills  was  planned, 
Villa  giving  command  to  all  villagers  to  assemble 
with  horses,  dogs  and  spears,  and  to  act  as  beaters 
for  the  hunt.  It  was  a  fine  array  that  gathered 
around  the  convento  in  the  early  morning;  some 
fifteen  men  on  horseback,  each  having  a  pack  of 
five  hounds  and  carrying  spears  ten  feet  long, 
made  of  bamboo  poles,  ironed  at  both  ends,  one  of 
which  was  for  the  purpose  of  holding  it  upright 
by  sticking  it  into  the  ground.  I  was  delighted 
with  their  appearance  and  more  than  pleased  with 
the  prospect  of  bringing  to  death  the  ferocious 
boar.  There  were  also  caribao  de  las  montanas 
and  deer  in  the  woods,  any  of  which  offered  sport 
enough  to  make  us  forget  that  we  were  held  in 
bondage.  The  path  to  the  hills  took  us  over  a 
wide  expanse  of  open  grassy  country,  at  that  time 
covered  as  with  a  blanket  of  myriads  of  locusts.  It 
was  nearly  noon  before  the  men  had  posted  us  in 
good  locations  at  the  opening  of  a  ravine  close  to 


"o  THROUGH    LUZON. 

the  base  of  the  mountains,  in  order  to  sight  the 
big  game  driven  out  by  the  hounds.  The  sun  was 
beaming  in  brilliancy,  but  what  did  it  matter  to 
one  keenly  waiting  for  the  first  sight  of  a  boar — 
wild,  fierce-eyed,  white  tusked — surprised  and  be- 
wildered at  seeing  his  mortal  enemy,  man,  as  he 
rushed  from  the  forest? 

Presently  the  welcome  and  thrilling  howl  of  doz- 
ens of  hounds  in  the  distant  woods  came  nearer 
and  nearer,  my  nerves  stringing  up  tighter  and 
tighter  with  every  second  until  I  fancied  I  would 
soon  become  helpless  in  my  defense  against  the 
boar's  attack.  As  I  peered  intently  at  the  spot 
from  which  I  expected  would  emerge  this  grand 
stampede,  I  took  up  my  Winchester,  summoning 
all  the  reserve  courage  in  my  power  for  a  fatal  shot, 
when  there  suddenly  came  into  full  view,  not  a 
boar,  but  a  deer.  Filled  with  disgust,  I  fired  at 
four  hundred  yards'  distance,  but  failed  to  bag  my 
game. 

Hours  were  passed  with  only  now  and  then  a 
deer  in  sight,  and  getting  weary  of  this  we  set  off 
for  camp,  to  be  on  hand  early  on  the  following 
morning.  But  Senor  Villa  had  by  this  time  be- 
come so  displeased  with  the  food  we  had  been  eat- 
ing while  on  the  road  and  so  disgusted  at  the  poor 
prospect  of  obtaining  fresh  game,  that  we  pulled 


A  SPANISH  MESTIZA. 
(Half  Spanish  Half  Native.; 


FROM    BAYOMBONG   TO    CARIG.  113 

up  stakes  and  returned  to  town.  Later  the  men 
whom  we  left  behind  brought  in  two  young  boar, 
which  they  had  speared,  and  these  furnished  us 
with  that  delicious  meat  for  the  remainder  of  our 
stay  at  Carig.  A  pleasant  greeting  was  awaiting 
our  return  in  the  following  telegram  from  Colonel 
Tirano : 

"Telegram. 
"A  Sres.  Wilcox,  Sargent,  Carig. 

"Carig  de  Isabela  Num.  254.  Palabras  18  Depos- 
itada  el  30  Octe,  1898,  a  las  9.30  m. 

"Coronel : 

"Recibi  telegrama.  Saludadoles  carinosamente. 
Autorized  Sr.  Villa  acompana  a  ustedes  bajada  Ila- 
gan. 

"Recibide  de  Ilagan  dia  31,  a  las  H-57  m.  El. 
Official." 

"I  salute  you  affectionately,  and  authorize  Villa 
to  accompany  you  down  to  Ilagan." 

After  seven  days'  detention  at  Carig  I  was  more 
than  gratified  at  the  prospect  of  our  release,  and 
entered  with  enthusiasm  into  the  preparation  for 
continuing  on  to  Ilagan,  our  men  expressing  the 
same  degree  of  satisfaction.  The  river  at  Carig 
had  been  rising  for  the  past  few  days,  making  it  im- 
possible to  cross  except  on  balsas.  On  these  rafts 
our  saddles  and  other  equipments  were  ferried 


H4  THROUGH    LUZON. 

over,  the  horses  being  compelled  to  swim.  One 
of  the  soldiers  of  the  escort  had  the  temerity  to 
try  his  horse  with  the  saddle  on,  and  when  half 
way  across  the  beast  went  under  and  disappeared 
in  the  swirling  current,  the  soldier  escaping  by 
reaching  shallow;  water.  The  natives  avowed  the 
loss  of  the  horse  was  due  to  alligators. 

The  country  lying  between  Carig  and  Echagtte 
was  most  difficult  to  traverse,  being  very  low,  with 
numerous  mires  and  deep,  sticky  mud.  I  rode 
alongside  of  Villa  most  of  the  day,  his  conversation 
relating  mainly  to  his  experiences  in  the  revolution 
against  the  Spaniards.  His  father  was  a  promi- 
nent Tagalo  in  Manila,  possessed  of  much  property 
and  a  large  account  in  the  Hong  Kong  &  Shang- 
hai Bank.  The  Spanish  authorities  had  thrown 
him  into  prison  as  a  conspirator,  where  he  re- 
mained for  some  time.  At  last  he  was  offered  lib- 
erty on  condition  that  he  sign  a  check  for  the  full 
amount  of  his  credit  at  the  bank.  This  check  was 
drawn  out  and  endorsed  by  the  unhappy  prisoner, 
but  instead  of  granting  him  his  freedom  he  was 
shot  within  the  walls  of  old  Manila  and  his  entire 
property  confiscated.  Villa  told  me  his  mother 
and  sister  were  in  Manila,  but  just  where  he  did 
not  know,  nor  how  they  were  faring.  I  promised 
to  hunt  them  up  on  my  return  and  report  to  him, 


FROM    BAYOMBONG    TO    CARIG.  "5 

but  he  said  it  was  useless,  as  no  letter  would  be 
likely  to  ever  reach  him.  After  a  most  fatiguing 
journey  we  reached  the  abode  of  the  military  com- 
mander at  Echague,  who  was  very  courteous  and 
hospitable,  and  had  already  made  arrangements  for 
boats  to  carry  us  down  the  Rio  Grande  river — the 
turbulent,  treacherous  but  magnificent  waterway 
that  drains  the  entire  valley  of  the  northern  and 
eastern  half  of  the  Island  of  Luzon. 

Echague  is  one  of  the  great  tobacco  depots  of 
the  province  of  Isabela,  and  several  German  mer- 
chants who  reside  there,  purchase  the  leaf  for  the 
European  market.  This  plant  thrives  well  in  the 
soil  about  here,  and  better  and  more  stable  politi- 
cal conditions,  which  are  certain  to  come,  will  dis- 
pel the  timidity  of  capital  and  enormously  increase 
its  production.  What  possibilities  there  are  for 
this  veritable  Eden  of  Luzon  can  hardly  be  imag- 
ined. Sufficient  people  are  here  to  treble  the  pro- 
duction, and  they  will  be  found  to  be  industrious 
enough  when  equitable  taxation  is  restored  and 
encouragement  given  them  to  toil. 

Our  thoughtful  host,  for  the  trip  down  the  river, 
provided  us  with  boiled  chicken,  put  up  in  green 
palm  leaves,  and  boiled  rice  and  venison  enclosed 
in  the  same  fresh  covering.  We  had  six  oarsmen 
and  a  helmsman  to  keep  the  panca  out  of  whirl- 


"6  THROUGH    LUZON. 

pools,  and  thus  equipped  the  boat  shoved  into  the 
current.  I  sent  our  servants  and  horses  over  land 
and  they  continued  along  the  banks  of  the  Rio 
Grande  until  we  reached  the  sea  at  Aparri,  120 
miles  to  the  north. 

The  Rio  Grande  de  Cagayan,  for  over  200  miles 
is  available  for  native  boats  in  carrying  traffic  to 
the  seaport  of  Aparri,  and  while  it  requires  but 
four  days  to  navigate  its  entire  length  down  stream 
weeks  are  consumed  in  returning  against  the  rapid 
flow  of  water. 

Fortunately  the  day  was  a  bright  one,  rilling  the 
passing  scenes  with  interest.  Here  and  there  were 
alligators  stretched  out  upon  the  banks,  at  which 
we  frequently  shot  with  our  rifles.  Monkeys  with- 
out number  infested  the  trees,  disporting  them- 
selves as  only  monkeys  can,  assuming  many 
amusing  attitudes  and  performing  numerous  high- 
ly creditable  acrobatic  feats.  Many  fishermen  had 
their  nets  out,  and  thousands  of  women  were  wash- 
ing clothes  and  bathing  in  the  discolored  waters. 
At  times  the  river  widened  to  a  great  expanse, 
then,  closing  in  at  a  narrow  gap,  the  immense  body 
of  water  forced  its  way  with  such  speed  that  we 
were  literally  lifted  up  and  shot  through  the  chan- 
nel as  though  fired  from  a  ten-inch  gun. 


FROM    BAYOMBONG   TO    CARIG.  "7 

Only  by  the  most  dexterous  handling  of  our 
craft  did  we  escape  wreck  and  certain  death  in 
these  most  perilous  moments.  Once  we  were  on 
the  point  of  drifting  into  a  whirlpool,  when  Villa 
commanded  the  oarsmen  to  pull  for  our  dear  lives 
and  their  own,  directing  their  movements  in  a 
manner  which  proved  his  skill  and  ability  in  hand- 
ling one  of  these  boats  was  at  least  equal  to  that  of 
the  Filipino  boatmen  themselves.  The  excite- 
ment attending  the  passage  of  this  waterway  filled 
me  at  times  with  pleasure  and  fear,  and  I  congrat- 
ulated our  party  upon  reaching  Ilagan  in  the  early 
evening  without  mishap. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

ILAGAN— THE  CAPITAL  OF  ISABELA. 

OUR  arrival  at  the  capital  of  the  province  of 
Isabela  was  welcomed  by  manifestations  of 
the  warmest  hospitality.  Ilagan  for  the  time 
being  was  the  home  of  both  Villa  and  Guzman,  but 
we  were  taken  to  the  house  of  Senor  Casarola,  the 
acting  Presidente  Local,  and  a  man  of  considerable 
wealth. 

The  principal  officials  of  the  town  made  calls  and 
appeared  happy  to  meet  us  and  were  followed  later 
on  by  many  of  the  wives  of  these  men,  accompan- 
ied by  Senorita  Casarola,  all  finely  dressed  in 
gowns  of  silk  and  pina  that  would  have  excited  the 
envy  of  many  of  the  women  of  our  own  country. 
Senorita  Casarola  played  on  the  piano  for  us,  and 
the  Filipino  national  hymn  was  sung  by  a  small 
boy,  the  whole  company  joining  in  the  refrain. 

Villa  being  now  on  his  own  stamping  ground, 
wished  to  make  amends  for  our  reluctant  and  tire- 
some detention  at  Carig  by  providing  several  fies- 

118 


ILAGAN— THE  CAPITAL  OF  ISABELA.         119 

tas  during  our  stay,  which  offered  many  possibili- 
ties. The  first  was  a  baile,  in  the  evening,  and  he 
had  his  men  spread  the  news  among  the  social  set 
and  ordered  the  local  band  to  produce  its  choicest 
selections.  The  hall  used  was  the  convento,  the 
floor  of  which  was  very  good,  and  all  the  rooms 
were  decorated  with  palms  and  bamboo  in  Filipino 
festive  manner.  An  unusually  good  dinner  pre- 
ceded the  dance,  and  on  being  escorted  to  the  hall 
we  found  it  well  filled  with  attractively  dressed 
women  in  silks  and  pina,  and  with  men  noticeably 
well  attired  in  low-cut  black  coats,  white  linen 
shirts,  collars  and  ties,  some  of  them  wearing  pat- 
ent leather  shoes.  During  the  introductions  I  felt 
a  serious  regret  at  not  having  my  dress  suit  with 
me,  to  be  more  in  keeping  with  my  surroundings. 
In  the  opening  dance  I  had  the  honor  of  being 
the  partner  of  Senorita  Casarola,  the  daughter  of 
our  host  and  the  belle  of  the  ball.  Her  waltzing1 
was  exquisite,  for  which  I  complimented  her.  I 
was  critical  enough  to  notice  her  costume  of  pink 
silk,  with  a  long  train  embroidered  in  flowers,  a 
waist  of  most  delicate  pina,  and  white  kid  slippers 
and  gloves,  the  whole  tastefully  decorated  with 
large  and  beautiful  diamonds.  Several  of  the  oth- 
er women  presented  an  appearance  that  elicited 
my  admiration  when  I  considered  that  this  locality 


120  THROUGH    LUZON. 

was  deep  in  the  interior  of  a  country  where  such 
taste  and  culture  was  supposed  to  be  unknown. 
The  rigodon,  lancers  and  waltz  followed  in  quick 
succession  until  twelve  o'clock,  when  supper  was 
spread.  All  the  young  women,  some  fifty  in  num- 
ber, were  seated  at  one  long  table,  I  being  per- 
suaded to  preside  at  the  head  as  a  mark  of  especial 
favor.  The  meal  did  not  differ  much  from  those 
usually  served  on  such  occasions,  and  the  table 
furnishings  were  in  good  form  and  proper  in  every 
respect.  The  conversation  proceeded  in  a  light 
and  happy  vein,  and  I  noticed  a  degree  of  reserve 
and  modesty  among  these  young  women  that  man- 
ifested a  truly  noble  feminimity.  The  intermission 
during  supper  was  a  long  one,  in  order  to  allow 
the  male  portion  of  the  assembly  sufficient  time  to 
fill  themselves  with  the  good  things  on  the  table, 
after  which  the  dance  was  resumed.  Some  exhibi- 
tions of  native  dancing  were  given,  the  movements 
displaying  grace  and  long  practice.  One  of  the 
company,  a  woman  with  two  pretty  young  daugh- 
ters, almost  white,  was  pointed  out  to  me  as  the 
wife  of  a  Spanish  officer  who  had  been  on  duty  in 
Ilagan,  but  who  had  abandoned  them  and  left  for 
Spain.  This  was  given  to  me  with  great  contempt 
and  disgust  for  Spaniards  in  general  in  Luzon.  At 
three  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  ball  came  to  an 


ILAGAN— THE  CAPITAL  OF  ISABELA.        121 

end  and  we  returned  to  our  host  filled  with  pleas- 
ant thoughts  of  the  entertainment. 

Ilagan  is  possessed  of  much  wealth,  due  almost 
exclusively  to  its  tobacco  interests,  some  three  mil- 
lion of  dollars  being  annually  paid  for  the  product. 
The  evidence  of  the  good  use  of  this  money  is 
shown  in  the  many  fine  buildings  and  merchant 
shops,  among  which  are  many  Chinese  establish- 
ments. The  farther  north  one  travels  in  Luzon, 
the  better  the  class  of  natives  becomes,  and  the 
lighter  their  color.  The  buildings  also  show  a 
marked  improvement;  with  roofs  of  corrugated 
iron  and  either  brick  or  stone  walls.  Among  the 
residents  of  Ilagan  was  a  German  who  claimed 
American  citizenship  at  one  time  and  German  at 
another,  to  suit  his  convenience,  but  he  never  pre- 
sented himself  to  us  nor  did  we  hunt  him  up.  He 
was  said  to  be  the  only  English-speaking  man  in 
the  town.  The  next  morning  gave  us  an  oppor- 
tunity of  walking  about  the  streets  of  the  town  and 
visiting  some  of  the  Chinese  shops,  where  small 
purchases  were  made. 

Ilagan  is  situated  on  an  Island,  the  only  ap- 
proach being  by  boat.  The  natives  encountered 
but  feeble  resistance  from  the  Spanish  garrison  at 
the  time  of  its  capture,  and  consider  themselves 
secure  from  other  sources  of  danger.  From  the 


'22  THROUGH    LUZON. 

window  of  our  abode  we  saw  companies  of  small 
boys  drilling  with  wooden  guns,  full  of  enthusiasm 
for  war,  but  with  whom  they  did  not  then  know. 
The  officer  in  charge  was  diligent  and  exacting  and 
encouraged  the  boys  to  their  utmost  capacity. 

Another  sight  which  I  watched  with  a  selfish  in- 
terest was  the  cooking  of  a  young  jabali  for  dinner. 
The  burning  and  sizzling  of  this  fine  animal  on  the 
spit  whetted  my  appetite  to  a  keen  edge,  and  as 
the  color  gradually  assumed  a  tempting  brown  hue 
and  the  savory  fumes  reached  my  nostrils,  I  knew 
it  would  be  good. 

Senor  Casarola  had  three  cooks — a  Chinaman,  a 
Spaniard,  and  a  native.  Between  them  the  dishes 
prepared  were  complete  in  every  detail.  At  every 
meal  during  our  stay  twelve  men  sat  down,  includ- 
ing a  native  and  Spanish  priest,  the  two  Guzmans, 
Villa  and  ourselves.  Apologies  from  the  host  for 
not  furnishing  something  better  are  always  in  or- 
der, but  on  this  occasion,  with  wild  boar  meat,  ven- 
ison, beef,  bread,  potatoes,  chocolate  and  coffee, 
and  canned  goods  in  profusion  before  me,  I  could 
not  discover  the  necessity  for  such  regrets. 

For  the  evening  a  play  at  the  theatre  was  ar- 
ranged, to  which  we  had  to  be  conducted  by  a 
body  guard,  as  it  had  been  rumored  that  some  of 
the  Spanish  prisoners  had  planned  to  kill  us.  The 


ILAGAN— THE  CAPITAL  OF  ISABELA.         123 

guard  was  posted  at  the  entrance  to  the  building 
while  the  drama  was  being  produced  within.  It 
was  in  Spanish  and  was  put  upon  the  stage  with  all 
the  required  costumes,  the  band  interspersing 
music  at  proper  points.  The  play  was  commenda- 
bly  acted,  Senorita  Casarola  taking  the  leading 
role.  This  particular  play  had  been  rendered  at  a 
fiesta  some  days  previously,  and  was  repeated  for 
our  especial  delight.  The  alleged  assassins  failed 
to  carry  out  their  designs. 

The  next  day  was  clear  but  hot,  and  Villa  asked 
me  if  I  would  object  to  having  some  of  their  pris- 
oners paraded  in  front  of  our  quarters.  I  was  in- 
deed desirous  of  seeing  them  and  noting  their  con- 
dition. An  orderly  was  sent  to  march  out  the 
eighty-four  Spanish  priests  who  formed  a  part  of 
them.  As  they  were  lined  up  on  the  public  high- 
way, the  appearance  of  these  men,  of  all  ages  from 
seventy  down  to  thirty,  invoked  my  sympathy. 
Shorn  of  power,  neglected  as  to  dress  and  unshav- 
en, they  stood  before  us  mute  and  dejected  look- 
ing, with  prayer  books  in  hand — submissive  mar- 
tyrs to  their  faith.  Each  had  shortly  before,  in  his 
own  parish,  been  the  supreme  master,  never 
dreaming  of  such  a  transformation  as  had  so 
abruptly  taken  place.  Was  it  retribution,  or  the 
mysterious  workings  of  the  inscrutible  Almighty? 


»24  THROUGH    LUZON. 

The  sun  was  intensely  fierce,  but  it  seemed  to 
shine  with  softened  rays  upon  these  silent,  devoted 
creatures,  appearing  to  create  the  apotheosis  of  a 
spiritual  man  in  the  depths  of  despair.  Villa 
pointed  to  one  of  the  prisoners  and  gave  orders  to 
have  him  brought  up  to  our  room.  He  was  not  a 
particularly  prepossessing  man,  and  he  stood  be- 
fore us,  charged  by  Villa  with  offenses  that 
seemed  incredible. 

I  suggested  to  Villa  the  propriety  of  returning 
these  men  to  their  quarters,  which  he  did,  and  after 
they  had  gone,  he  ordered  brought  in  the  former 
Spanish  governor  of  the  province,  Don  Jose  Perez, 
also  a  prisoner.  I  shook  hands  with  him  (which 
Sargent  would  not  do),  and  made  inquiries  as  to 
the  causes  leading  up  to  the  revolution,  which,  for 
lack  of  a  better  reason,  he  ascribed  to  the  Chinese. 

Villa  said :  "This  is  the  man  who  robbed  this 
province  of  $25,000  during  the  last  year  of  his  of- 
fice." This  the  ex-governor  denied. 

I  then  said  to  him :  "You  are  the  man  who  had 
planned  to  kill  us  last  night,  are  you  not?" 

I  had  hoped  he  would  confirm  my  surmise  in 
order  that  I  could  suggest  the  expediency  of  his 
going  into  the  camp  with  us,  selecting  his  own 
weapons  and  meeting  either  Sargent  or  myself 
fairly.  I  knew  Sargent  was  quite  handy  with  the 


ILAGAN— THE  CAPITAL  OF  ISABELA.         125 

sword,  while  with  any  other  weapon  I  would  stand 
a  fair  show,  so  that  in  any  selection  he  might  make 
we  had  him  cornered.  But  he  was  a  coward  and 
declined  to  take  the  hint  and  his  sinister  eyes 
showed  that  he  was  at  his  best  when  stabbing  some 
one  from  the  rear  in  the  dark. 

These  prisoners  were  a  great  expense  upon  the 
people  of  the  province.  I  was  told  that  it  cost 
$2,000  a  month  to  feed  them  alone,  and,  so  far  as 
I  could  judge,  I  believe  they  were  well  provided 
for. 

The  native  language  of  Ilagan  is  mostly  the 
Ibanag  dialect,  and  the  wife  of  our  host  could  only 
converse  in  that  tongue,  although  Don  Tomas 
was  able  to  make  himself  understood  in  Tagalog. 
A  large  majority  of  the  population  of  the  northern 
provinces  have  a  local  dialect  peculiar  to  the  dis- 
trict in  which  they  live,  due  to  the  lack  of  frequent 
intermingling  and  proper  communications  be- 
tween the  towns. 

We  desired  to  continue  our  journey  from  Ilagan 
to  Tuguegarao  and  from  that  point  across  the 
mountains  to  the  western  coast.  This  request  was 
wired  by  Senor  Villa  to  Colonel  Tirona  at  Aparri, 
in  anticipation  that  he  would  provide  us  with  a 
large  military  escort.  That  officer  replied  that  it 
would  not  be  possible  to  make  the  proposed  trip 


126  THROUGH    LUZON. 

at  this  season  of  the  year.  He  invited  us  to  pro- 
ceed to  Aparri,  saying  that  he  would  send  a  steam 
launch  up  the  river  to  take  us  to  that  city.  We 
replied  by  another  telegram,  repeating  our  request 
and  saying  that  the  trip  across  the  mountains 
would  be  made  at  our  own  risk.  The  reply  was  a 
courteously  worded  but  positive  refusal.  The  col- 
onel had  sent  our  messengers  to  examine  the  roads 
and  they  reported  them  impassable.  Moreover, 
there  was  a  danger  from  Igorrotes,  five  million  of 
whom  were  commonly  supposed  to  inhabit  that 
locality.  He  said  that  he  felt  himself  responsible 
for  our  safety  in  the  district  over  which  he  held 
command.  He  feared  any  accident  happening  to 
our  party  might  be  misconstrued  by  our  Govern- 
ment and  create  a  wrong  and  injurious  impression 
of  the  good  faith  of  the  Philippines  and  the  tran- 
quility  of  the  country.  He  repeated  his  invitation 
to  visit  Aparri,  take  a  steamer  from  that  port,  dis- 
embark at  a  northern  point  on  the  western  coast, 
and  continue  our  journey  south  by  land.  This  ar- 
rangement was  accepted  as  the  most  satisfactory 
one  left  open  to  us. 

Our  horses  arrived  at  Ilagan  November  2d,  and 
were  sent  on  the  Aparri  next  day.  The  steam 
launch  mentioned  by  the  colonel  not  arriving  on 
time,  we  expressed  our  desire  to  set  out  in  a  canoe 


ILAGAN— THE  CAPITAL  OF  ISABELA.        127 

without  delay.  A  "panga"  or  large  built  up  ca- 
noe, rowed  by  twelve  men,  was  accordingly  pre- 
pared. Friday  morning  November  4th,  we  em- 
barked for  Aparri.  We  were  accompanied  on  the 
journey  by  Cammandante  Villa  and  Lieutenant 
Guzman.  All  the  officers,  civil  and  military,  of  the 
town  accompanied  us  to  the  boat  and  wished  us  a 
pleasant  journey. 

The  panorama  which  was  unfolded  to  my  view 
as  we  descended  the  Rio  Grande  was  most  enchant- 
ing, and  I  gazed  with  rapture  and  regret  at  the  dis- 
tant alluring  mountains,  into  whose  fastnesses  and 
secrets  I  was  forbidden  to  penetrate  and  to  learn 
the  character  and  customs  of  their  inhabitants  and 
test  their  minerological  wealth.  That  the  inhabi- 
tants of  this  wilderness  have  not  attained  the  de- 
gree of  civilized  advancement  which  marks  their 
lowland  brethern  I  do  not  doubt,  and  from  the  evi- 
dence which  came  under  my  observation,  I  do  not 
hesitate  to  deny  that  they  possess  the  habits  of  in- 
tractability attributed  to  them  ;from  motives  of  per- 
sonal safety  the  Spaniards  had  studiously  left  them 
severely  to  themselves,  but  were  ever  ready  to  re- 
peat and  enlarge  upon  any  story  of  their  alleged 
barbarism  and  cruelties  without  any  personal 
knowledge.  As  I  have  before  said,  these  people 
display  considerable  skill,  intelligence  and  ingenui- 


128  THROUGH    LUZON. 

ty  in  working  metal  into  various  articles  of  use  and 
ornamentation,  as  well  as  into  weapons,  and  have 
shown  a  tendency  for  agricultural  pursuits,  which 
would  seem  to  disprove  their  cannibalistic  prac- 
tices, at  least  as  a  means  of  subsistence.  They  en- 
tertain such  a  wholesome  fear  of  fire  arms  that  at 
the  approach  of  soldiers  they  have  been  known  to 
bury  their  daughters  under  ground,  covering  them 
with  matting  until  the  soldiers  passed,  often  so 
heavily  that  the  poor  girls  were  sometimes  smoth- 
ered. 

Great  herds  of  cattle  feed  on  the  green  slopes 
lining  the  river  bank,  some  of  them  being  fine 
blooded  Jerseys.  One  authority  says  there  were  at 
one  time  over  one  hundred  thousand  head  of  cat- 
tle in  the  province  of  Isabella  alone,  but  the  rav- 
ages of  the  insurrection  destroyed  as  far  as  possi- 
ble this  vast  number,  and  almost  devastated  the 
country. 

The  foot  hills  and  mountains  in  the  vast  valley  of 
the  Rio  Grande  offer  boundless  possibilities  to  the 
farmer  and  herdsman.  The  climate  is  fine,  the  soil 
rich  and  productive.  Vast  areas  of  land  remain 
untouched,  owing  to  an  indisposition  on  the  part 
of  the  natives  to  stray  far  from  populous  districts. 

Beans,  sweet  potatoes,  peas,  onions ,  celery, 
water  melons,  tomatoes,  tobacco,  coffee,  fine  cot- 


ILAGAN— THE  CAPITAL  OF  ISABELA.        131 

ton  and  cocoa  are  a  partial  index  of  what  is  await- 
ing the  energy  of  the  thrifty  American  when  once 
he  takes  possession  of  this  beautiful  Paradise  and 
applies  modern  methods  and  Yankee  grit  to  its  de- 
velopment. 

The  raising  of  cattle  alone  in  the  vast  plains  of 
the  two  great  provinces  of  Isabella  and  Cagayan  is 
a  tempting  venture,  and  admits  of  wonderful  suc- 
cess. They  thrive  as  well,  if  not  better,  in  a  torrid 
zone  than  most  people  suppose,  and  the  nearness 
of  the  market  of  Hong  Kong  and  Manila  by  way 
of  Aparri  affords  a  good  field  for  speculation. 

The  greatest  drawback  to  advancement  in  this 
immense  district  is  the  total  lack  of  rapid  transpor- 
tation. The  moment  a  railroad  is  completed 
along  the  banks  of  the  Rio  Grande,  with  branches 
encircling  and  connecting  the  foothills  a  remarka- 
ble metamorphosis  will  ensue.  It  would  be  an  act 
of  wisdom  on  the  part  of  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  to  lend  its  aid  and  encouragement 
in  the  construction  of  a  line  of  railroad  through 
this  island  that  would  ensure  prompt  intercourse 
and  sufficient  means  of  distributing  its  products. 
Not  one  quarter  of  the  great  area  of  Luzon  has  as 
yet  been  explored,  and  the  percentage  now  under 
cultivation  is  comparatively  insignificant. 


CHAPTER  VII. 
DOWN  THE  RIO  GRANDE  TO  APARRL 

THE  rapid  current  of  the  Rio  Grande  hurried 
our  boat  along  its  pleasant  course  un  til  eve- 
ning, when  we  pulled  into  the  landing  at  Cabagan 
Viejo,  the  home  of  our  companion  Guzman.  We 
visited  the  town  and  met  his  family,  who  were 
warm  in  their  welcome  and  demanded  that  a  stop 
be  made  for  the  night.  But  this  was  out  of  the 
question,  as  our  leave  of  absence  was  fast  ap- 
proaching its  end.  Senora  Guzman  occupied  a 
finely  constructed  home,  the  furnishings  showing 
very  good  taste  indeed.  She  furnished  us  with  a 
supply  of  bottled  beer,  offered  us  cigars  and  sweet 
meats  and  handed  me  the  following  letter  from  the 
Presidente  Local  of  Santa  Maria,  at  which  place 
we  hoped  to  remain  a  day : 

*"E1  Presidente  Local  del  pueblo  de  Sta.  Maria 
de  Luzon,  tiene  la  alta  honra  de  saludar  al  Sor.  V. 
B.  Wilcox." 

132 


DOWN  THE  RIO  GRANDE  TO  APARRI.        133 

"De  V.  atento  afmio  y,  S.  S.,  Q.  B.  L.  M." 

"Luis  F.  Santos," 
"Isabella  de  Luzon-Santa  Maria." 

This  shows  the  care  with  which  the  Filipinos  use 
forms  of  politeness.  Expressing  our  appreciation 
for  this  card  and  Senora  Guzman's  kindness,  we 
returned  to  the  boat  prepared  for  a  night's  sleep, 
while  the  native  oarsmen  kept  at  their  work  con- 
tinuously. 

I  had  not  failed  to  notice  how  little  these  natives 
sleep  after  a  most  tedious  days's  work  climbing 
the  mountains.  They  would  often  sit  around  the 
camp  fire  in  conversation  almost  the  whole  night, 
and  with  the  coming  of  the  morn  were  ready  for 
another  hard  day's  work.  They  seem  to  be  all 
nerve,  and  this  on  nourishment  no  more  muscle- 
building  than  rice.  It  is  a  case  of  the  "survival  of 
the  fittest,"  with  them.  Help  from  doctors  or  sur- 
geons when  in  distress  is  unknown,  nothing  being 
used  but  the  native  remedies  made  of  leaves  and 
herbs. 

An  incident  occurred  on  this  day  that  might 
have  resulted  seriously  but  for  the  presence  of 
Villa.  Sargent  had  taken  a  position  on  the  bow  of 
the  boat,  just  outside  of  the  mat  awning,  when 
suddenly  shots  were  heard  and  a  bullet  whistled 
by  unpleasantly  near  to  him.  Turning,  he  saw  a 


134  THROUGH    LUZON. 

boat  load  of  native  troops  in  pursuit  and  another 
rifle  pointed  at  him.  Villa  had  by  this  time 
emerged  from  the  interior  attracted  by  the  shots, 
and  at  once  took  in  the  situation.  He  hailed  our 
pursuers  energetically  in  the  native  language  and 
the  firing  ceased,  when  we  learned  that  Sargent 
had  been  mistaken  for  a  Spaniard. 

Winding  tortuously  through  the  channel  from 
bank  to  bank,  passing  the  towns  of  Tuguegaro, 
into  Aparri  and  uly  settled,  as  usual,  in  the  most 
Tguig,  Acala,  Nasiping,  Gataran  and  Lal-lo,  we 
overtook  a  steam  launch  coming  up  stream,  sent 
by  our  kindly  host-to-be,  Colonel  Tirano.  Heav- 
ing us  a  line,  it  was  not  long  before  we  were  towed 
into  Aparri  and  duly  settled,  as  usual,  in  the  most 
commodious  house  in  the  town. 

The  Colonel  was  pleased  to  receive  us,  and  pre- 
sented us  to  his  official  staff,  among  whom  was  a 
young  man  of  magnificent  proportions,  handsome- 
ly dressed  in  uniform  of  silk,  Lientenant  Weber  by 
name,  who  spoke  English  exceedingly  well.  He 
had  been  in  Hong  King  with  Aguinaldo,  where 
he  met  Admiral  Dewey,  for  whom  he  had  the 
greatest  respect  as  an  officer,  and  upon  whose 
judgment  he  implicitly  relied  to  straighten  out  the 
existing  entangled  condition  of  affairs.  For  a 
great  while  he  delighted  us  with  praise  of  the  Ad- 


DOWN  THE  RIO  GRANDE  TO  APARRI.        135 

miral,  being  unaware  that  either  Sargent  or  my 
self  belonged  to  that  service. 

Colonel  Tirano,  as  a  mark  of  appreciation  and 
respect  for  the  Admiral,  entrusted  to  my  care  a 
bundle  of  Igorrote  spears  and  bolos  for  presenta- 
tion to  him. 

The  change  in  the  appearance  of  the  military  at 
this  point  was  very  marked,  silk  being  the  mater- 
ial used  in  the  uniform  of  the  officers,  with  silver 
handled  swords  and  silver-plated  revolvers  at  their 
sides,  mostly  captured  from  the  Spaniards.  The 
long-suffering,  silently  working  women  were  con- 
stantly doing  their  part  in  keeping  the  men  in 
proper  condition  to  meet  the  fatigues  of  a  military 
campaign,  and  the  fruits  of  their  efforts  were  ap- 
parent on  every  side,  and  entitled  them  to  great 
praise. 

It  was  raining  hard  when  we  reached  Aparri,  but 
one  gets  so  used  to  it  in  this  latitude  that  it  does 
reaches  maturity  in  grace,  that  in  that  moment  he 
not  interfere  with  any  of  one's  plans.  Colonel 
Tirano  thought  the  most  agreeable  and  accepta- 
ble to  entertain  us  would  be  to  have  a  baile.  He 
sent  word  to  that  effect  to  a  prominent  citizen  of 
the  place,  and  this  man  apprised  the  senoritas  that 
they  were  expected  to  dance  that  very  day  with 
the  American  officers.  So  this  wet  and  dreary 


136  THROUGH    LUZON. 

afternoon  was  pleasantly  passed  in  whirling 
through  the  rigodon,  the  waltz  and  the  lancers. 
The  women  were  bright  looking  and  very  well 
dressed  and  though  shy  and  retiring  in  their  con- 
versation were  willing  to  dance  at  any  and  all 
times.  Refreshments  in  the  way  of  sweet  liquors 
and  native  wine  were  offered  after  every  number. 
We  remained  until  time  to  return  to  our  quarters, 
quite  forgetting  the  discomforts  of  travel  in  the 
presence  of  good  music  and  comfortable  surround- 
ings. 

Aparri  is  the  largest  port  in  Northern  Luzon, 
with  a  depth  of  water  of  nearly  twenty  feet,  with 
good  dock  facilities.  The  population  is  20,000  and 
it  has  many  handsome  houses  and  several  well-de- 
fined streets.  The  military  force  stationed  here 
consisted  of  three  hundred  soldiers,  in  addition  to 
which  the  harbor  had  the  protection  of  the  gun- 
boat "Philippina,"  which  carried  two  guns  of  a 
caliber  of  about  three  inches.  There  were  several 
officers  here,  three  captains  and  five  or  six  lieuten- 
ants. The  colonel  went  from  town  to  town  in  his 
district,  and  Commandante  Leyba  spent  part  of 
his  time  at  Tuguegarao.  There  were  no  Span- 
iards here,  with  the  exception  of  two  or  three  mer- 
chants. One  of  these,  representing  the  company 
of  the  steamer  "Saturnas,"  we  met.  He  was  pur- 


DOWN  THE  RIO  GRANDE  TO  APARRI.        137 

suing  his  business  entirely  unmolested.  All  the 
priests,  soldiers  and  civil  officers  had  been  sent  to 
Tuguegarao  and  other  towns  up  the  river.  Col- 
onel Tirano  did  not  consider  them  secure  in  a  port 
town. 

The  steamer  "Saturnas,"  which  had  left  the  har- 
bor the  day  before  our  arrival,  brought  news  from 
Hong  Kong  papers  that  the  senators  from  the 
United  States  at  the  congress  of  Paris  favored  the 
independence  of  the  islands  with  an  American  pro- 
tectorate. Colonel  Tirano  considered  the  infor- 
mation of  sufficient  reliability  to  justify  him  in  re- 
garding the  Philippine  independence  as  assured, 
and  warfare  in  the  island  at  an  end.  For  this  rea- 
son he  proceeded  to  relinquish  the  military  com- 
mand he  held  over  the  provinces  and  to  place  this 
power  in  the  hands  of  a  civil  officer  elected  by  the 
people.  On  the  day  following  our  arrival  at  Apar- 
ri  the  ceremony  occurred  which  solemnized  the 
transfer  of  authority  in  the  province  of  Cagayan. 
The  Presidentes  Locales  of  all  the  towns  in  the 
provinces  were  present  at  the  ceremony,  conduct- 
ed by  a  native  priest.  After  the  priest  had  retired 
Colonel  Tirano  made  a  short  speech  stating  that 
since  in  all  probabilities  permanent  peace  was  at 
hand  it  became  his  duty  to  relinquish  the  authori- 
ty he  had  previously  held  over  the  province  and 


138  THROUGH    LUZON. 

to  place  it  in  the  hands  of  a  civil  officer  elected  by 
the  people.  He  then  handed  the  staff  of  office  to 
the  man  who  had  been  elected  "Je^e  Provincial." 

This  officer  also  made  a  speech,  in  which  he 
thanked  the  disciplined  military  forces  and  their 
colonel  for  the  service  rendered  the  province  and 
assured  them  that  the  work  they  had  begun  would 
be  perpetuated  by  the  people,  where  every  man, 
woman  and  child  stood  ready  to  take  up  arms  to 
defend  their  newly  won  liberty  and  to  resist  with 
the  last  drop  of  their  blood  the  attempt  of  any  na- 
tion whatever  to  bring  them  back  to  their  former 
state  of  dependence.  His  speech  was  very  im- 
passioned. He  then  knelt,  placed  his  hand  on  an 
open  Bible  and  took  the  oath  of  office.  He  was 
followed  by  the  three  other  officers  who  constitute 
the  provincial  government,  the  heads  of  the  three 
departments,  justice,  police  and  internal  revenue. 
Every  town  in  this  province  has  this  same  organ- 
ization. At  the  time  of  our  departure  Colonel 
Tirano  planned  to  go  within  a  few  days  to  Ilagan 
and  from  there  to  Bayombong,  repeating  this  cere- 
mony in  the  capital  city  of  each  province. 

Aparri  seems  to  present  facilities  for  great  im- 
provement as  a  shipping  port,  and  with  a  line  of 
light  draft  stern-wheel  steamers  plying  on  the  Rio 
Grande,  it  will  rival  Manila  in  the  amount  of  cargo 


DOWN  THE  RIO  GRANDE  TO  APARRI.        139 

brought  in  for  dispatch  by  sea.  The  nearness  to 
Hong  Kong  and  Yokohama,  as  well  as  the  United 
States,  gives  it  a  great  advantage.  The  native 
boats  or  "cascos"  coming  down  the  Rio  Grande 
at  present  make  fairly  good  time,  but  in  ascending 
the  river  it  must  be  by  poling  close  to  the  bank,  a 
slow  and  almost  interminable  process. 

The  succeeding  day  was  spent  in  devising  means 
for  transportation  to  the  most  northern  port  on 
the  west  coast.  Our  horses  were  still  en  route  in 
charge  of  Don  Tomas,  but  I  had  brought  three 
servants  for  care  of  baggage,  part  of  which  consist- 
ed of  Mexican  dollars  brought  from  Manila,  and 
so  little  of  it  was  used  it  became  more  of  a  bur- 
den than  benefit.  The  Norwegian  steamer,  "Os- 
lo" fortunately  came  into  port  that  afternoon,  and 
this  seemed  our  only  hope.  She  was  chartered  by 
two  Chinamen  who  had  two  hundred  coolies  on 
board  bound  for  Manila.  At  first  they  refused  per- 
mission for  us  to  embark,  and  declined  to  put  in  at 
any  port  on  the  west  coast.  No  sooner  \vas  this 
related  to  Colonel  Tirano  than  he  sent  notice  that 
the  ship  could  no  clear  without  taking  us  and  mak- 
ing a  landing  where  we  desired.  This  argument 
was  convincing,  but  I  agreed  to  pay  one  hundred 
Mexicans  for  the  trip,  which  was  to  begin  the  next 
evening. 


140  THROUGH    LUZON. 

The  horses  and  outfit  were  left  in  charge  of  Don 
Tomas  to  make  the  best  of  his  way  to  Manila  by 
any  ship  that  would  carry  them. 

\Yhile  waiting  for  the  steamer  to  sail,  a  German 
who  had  been  buying  tobacco  in  labela,  intro- 
duced himself  in  English  and  told  of  his  experi- 
ence of  the  last  few  days  in  coming  down  the  river. 
He  had  hired  a  native  crew  of  oarsmen  to  bring 
him  to  Aparri,  carrying  with  him  twenty  thousand 
Mexican  dollars.  Being  alone,  though  under- 
standing the  language,  he  felt  safe  enough,  but 
during  the  night  this  crew  turned  pirates,  bound 
him  hand  and  foot,  placing  him  on  the  bow  of  the 
boat  for  the  purpose  of  shoving  him  overboard  at 
a  convenient  place.  While  near  the  bank,  in  a 
shallow  stretch  of  water,  having  previously  released 
his  feet  from  their  bindings,  and  at  a  favorable 
moment,  he  jumped  into  the  water,  making  the 
bank  with  the  greatest  difficulty.  Here  he  re- 
mained until  daylight,  when  assisted  by  natives 
who  unbound  his  arms,  showing  them  cut  near  the 
shoulders  to  a  quarter  of  an  inch  into  the  flesh. 
Some  of  this  money  was  found,  three  thousand 
dollars,  and  the  balance  was  promised  by  Colonel 
Tirano  in  case  the  robbers  were  not  found,  search 
for  whom  was  immediately  instituted. 


DOWN  THE  RIO  GRANDE  TO  APARRI.        141 

After  a  pleasant  three  days  at  Aparri,  we  left  on 
the  "Oslo"  November  9th.  Before  leaving  Col- 
onel Tirano  provided  us  with  a  letter  addressed  to 
Colonel  Tino,  at  Vigan,  in  the  province  of  Ilocos 
Sur,  or  in  the  event  of  his  absence  from  that  town, 
to  the  commande.  This  letter  was  sealed. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

FROM  APARRI  TO  SALOMAGUE. 

THE  captain  of  the  "Oslo,"  Peterson,  was 
very  agreeable  and  did  his  utmost  for  our 
comfort,  but  the  two  Chinamen,  who 
had  their  wives  on  board,  were  smoking  opium 
in  their  cabin;  the  fumes  penetrating  into 
our  little  apartment  made  the  air  stifling,  but  we 
managed  to  weather  it  through.  Along  the  north- 
ern coast  are  several  seemingly  thrifty  towns,  and 
quite  secluded  from  the  other  parts  of  the  island 
by  being  located  in  the  valleys  surrounded  by 
mountains  on  either  side. 

It  was  hoped  the  port  of  Currimao  in  the  prov- 
ince of  Ilocos  Norte,  would  afford  a  place  for  dis- 
embarking, but  Captain  Peterson  was  not  ac- 
quainted with  it  and  took  us  on  to  Salomague,  a 
few  miles  further  south  in  the  province  of  Ilocos 
Sur. 

He  put  us  ashore  with  our  hand  baggage  only, 
in  his  cutter,  and  to  the  astonishment  of  the  native 
142 


FROM  APARRI  TO  SALOMAGUE.  143 

people  we  landed.  The  Oslo  had  heaved  anchor, 
was  already  under  way,  and  we  found  ourselves  in 
the  hands  of  the  inhabitants  with  no  horses  and 
no  means  of  conveyance  except  what  could  be 
found  with  the  almighty  dollars  still  remaining. 

Our  arrival  had  been  reported  at  the  town  of 
Cabagao,  some  six  miles  distant,  and  not  knowing 
what  the  result  might  be,  we  sat  down  to  take 
everything  calmly  and  trust  to  luck.  So  many  dis- 
appointments and  difficulties  had  cropped  up  from 
the  day  we  left  Manila  that  it  had  developed  a  love 
of  surmounting  obstacles,  and  smooth  sailing  is  a 
tame  affair  after  all. 

On  the  shore  of  Salomague  we  looked  over  the 
fortifications  there,  a  barricade  five  feet  high  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long,  built  up  with  sticks 
arranged  in  two  rows  and  filled  in  between  with 
sand  and  coral  stones.  Its  walls  are  about  four 
feet  thick,  and  built  in  the  form  of  a  crescent,  with 
the  concave  part  towards  the  sea.  The  formation 
of  the  reefs  here  and  for  some  distance  south  along 
the  coast  is  coral. 

Waiting  patiently  a  short  time,  two  officials 
from  Cabugao  rode  up,  who  had  come  immediate- 
ly to  refuse  permisison  to  disembark.  They  were 
both  dressed  in  military  uniform,  one  wearing  the 
insignia  of  a  first  lieutenant,  the  other  none  what- 


144  THROUGH    LUZON. 

ever.  There  was  nothing  left  but  to  provide  horses 
and  with  these  we  accompanied  them  to  Cabugao. 
The  officer  without  insignia  of  rank  proved  to  be 
a  native  priest,  the  cure  of  the  village.     He  put  on 
his  robe  over  his  uniform  as  soon  as  he  reached 
the  convent.     It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  note  that  in 
every  town  we  visited  in  the  provinces  on  the  west- 
ern coast  we  were  met  by  a  cure,  who  appeared  to 
have  great  influence  in  civil  matters.     In  the  four 
provinces  we  had  previously  visited,  on  the  con- 
trary, we  saw  only  one  native  priest.     He  was  in  a 
church  performing  service.     At  Cabugao  our  let- 
ter to  Colonel  Tino  was  not  sufficient  permission 
to  proceed.     We  were  detained  here  all  day,  while 
the  lieutenant  sent  a  messenger  to  Vigan  to  obtain 
instructions  from  the  commande.     The  telegraph 
line  was  down  and  we  could  not  wire.     We  were 
treated  very  cooly  at  this  town  and  were  regarded 
with  suspicion.  Next  morning,  an  answer  not  hav- 
ing been  received  from  Vigan,  we  asserted  our 
right  to  proceed  to  that  town  to  present  our  letter 
to  the  commandante.     The  lieutenant  finally  with- 
drew his  objections.     There  were  no  transporta- 
tion accommodations,  but  we  succeeded  at  length 
in  buying  one  horse  and  a  broken  down  "quiles," 
in  which  only  one  could  ride. 


FROM   APARRI   TO   SALOMAGUE.  145 

The  roads  in  this  part  of  the  island  are  extreme- 
ly good,  with  exception  that  most  of  the  bridges 
are  carried  away  by  every  freshet.  The  highway 
was  constructed  years  ago  and  is  wide  enough  for 
any  carriage  to  pass  at  any_  place  along  the  entire 
west  coast  line.  It  is  much  more  interesting  on 
this  side  of  the  island  than  the  eastern  part,  from 
its  showing  a  longer  development,  more  substan- 
tially built  houses,  and  better  cultivated  fields.  In 
the  narrow  strip  of  land  lying  between  the  moun- 
tain range  and  the  sea,  nearly  all  of  it  is  given  over 
to  rice  growing,  and  at  the  time  we  passed  every 
available  person  was  employed  cutting  palay  or  rice 
straw,  tying  it  up  in  neat  small  bundles.  More 
women  and  girls  were  thus  occupied  than  men, 
and  to  keep  the  rays  of  the  sun  from  beating  down 
too  fiercely,  large  shades  made  of  strips  of  bamboo, 
closely  woven  together,  were  stuck  in  the  soft 
ground  and  moved  along  as  the  harvesting  pro- 
gressed. 

At  times  when  field  work  is  unnecessary,  the 
women  occupy  their  spare  moments  in  spinning 
cotton  and  weaving  cloth,  and  it  is  not  rare  to 
see  an  elderly  man  leisurely  walking  the  streets 
with  a  bundle  of  cotton,  twisting  the  thread  and 
reeling  it  into  balls.  The  silk  and  cotton  goods 
made  in  Ilocos  have  the  quality  of  being  extreme- 


J46  THROUGH    LUZON. 

ly  durable,  but  more  expensive  than  the  imported 
cotton  of  Europe. 

The  men  and  women  of  this  province  were  well 
dressed  and  displayed  an  air  of  being  amply  fed 
and  comfortable.  Now  and  then  along  the  road 
were  groves  of  cocoanut  trees,  the  almost  indis- 
pensable food  for  the  natives.  When  green,  the 
nuts  furnish  milk  that  is  not  so  sweet  as  when  ripe, 
and  is  much  more  desired.  The  "bolo"  is  always 
used  to  cut  the  nuts  for  food  and  drink.  A  grove 
of  cocoanuts  is  most  profitable  after  the  seventh 
year  of  planting  and  pay  thirty  to  forty  per  cent, 
annual  revenue. 

Corn  grows  well  along  the  slopes  of  the  moun- 
tains, being  raised  in  some  quantities,  but  is  not  so 
well  liked  by  the  native  as  rice.  Sheep  and  cattle 
flourish  in  the  foothills,  but  lack  of  proper  atten- 
tion prevents  them  from  making  much  of  an  in- 
crease in  numbers. 

Tobacco  forms  a  part  of  the  products  of  this  lo- 
cality, and  though  raised  mostly  for  local  consump- 
tion, is  far  inferior  to  that  of  the  provinces  of  Cag- 
ayan  and  Isabela,  some  of  which  is  said  to  equal 
that  of  the  Vuelto  Abajo  district  of  Cuba. 

I  noticed  some  sugar  cane  growing  along  the 
road,  and  also  immense  quantities  of  bamboo  and 
"bejuco"  or  rattan,  the  latter  useful  for  tying  to- 


FROM  APARRI  TO  SALOMAGUE.  149 

gether  the  bamboo  in  the  innumerable  and  differ- 
ent articles  which  the  natives  find  necessary  for 
daily  life.  The  roots  of  the  bamboo  are  edible  and 
for  want  of  better  food  is  a  good  substitute. 

With  only  a  "bolo"  and  plenty  of  bamboo  and 
rattan,  the  native  can  construct  anything  from  a 
house  to  a  bridge,  fish  traps  and  bird  nets ;  and  in 
traveling  through  the  country  in  the  rainy  season 
when  flooded  streams  are  encountered,  it  does  not 
interfere  with  his  peace  of  mind.  He  soon  makes 
a  shelter  of  bamboo  poles,  covers  it  with  palm 
leaves  and  long  grass,  and  waits  for  the  water  to 
subside  sufficiently  to  cross  by  raft  or  a  bridge 
made  of  bamboo  matted  together. 

I  found  many  of  these  so-called  bridges  on  this 
side  of  the  island,  the  rainy  season  just  passed  hav- 
ing carried  away  those  made  the  previous  year. 

Passing  through  this  fairly  well  cultivated  stretch 
of  country,  the  Cordilleras  made  a  background  to 
the  eastward  that  looked  tempting  for  anyone  en- 
thused with  a  spirit  of  venture  into  unbeaten  paths, 
but  it  was  forbidden  us  to  penetrate  this  inviting 
scene. 

The  village  of  Lapo,  six  miles  farther  on,  was 

reached  about  noon  where  we  took  lunch  with  the 

officials  and  prepared  for  continuing  the  journey. 

They  were  hospitable  enough,  but  it  was  necessary 

9 


ISO  THROUGH    LUZON. 

to  change  horses,  and  the  only  thing  in  this  line 
obtainable  was  a  steer.  Nothing  daunted,  we 
hitched  the  steer  into  the  "quiles"  and  proceeded 
in  this  undignified  way  in  the  direction  of  the  next 
town,  Masingal. 

We  were  halfway  between  Lapo  and  Masingal 
when  we  were  met  by  three  military  officers — two 
captains  and  a  lieutenant — in  a  carriage  drawn  by 
two  horses.  The  senior  captain  informed  us  that 
they  had  been  sent  from  Vigan  by  the  comman- 
dante,  with  orders  to  require  us  to  turn  back  and 
re-embark  on  our  ship,  the  report  having  reached 
Vigan  that  we  had  disembarked  from  an  American 
man-of-war,  which  was  still  waiting  for  us  at  Salo- 
mague.  When  we  explained  our  position  and 
showed  them  the  letter  to  Colonel  Tino,  or  in  case 
of  his  absence  to  the  commandante  at  Vigan,  they 
permitted  us  to  proceed  to  Masingal  until  the 
early  evening,  waiting  for  an  answer  from  the 
commandante.  He  brought  the  answer  himself 
in  a  handsome  carriage  drawn  by  four  horses.  He 
had  with  him  a  copy  of  the  order  he  had  just  re- 
ceived from  the  Philippine  Secretary  of  War. 
This  order  granted  liberty  to  persons  of  any  nation 
except  Spain  to  travel  at  will  through  the  islands, 
under  certain  restrictions,  viz.,  that  they  could  not 
carry  arms,  nor  approach  within  200  meters  of  a 


FROM  APARRI  TO  SALOMAGUJS.  151 

fortification,  nor  make  any  plans,  or  take  photo- 
graphs of  them.  In  compliance  with  this  order, 
we  were  allowed  to  proceed,  but  were  requested  to 
give  up  all  our  arms,  including  our  revolvers. 

In  company  with  the  commandante  and  five  oth- 
er officers  who  had  assembled  at  Masingal,  we  rode 
in  carriages,  none  of  them  drawn  by  fewer  than 
three  horses,  and  preceded  by  outriders,  with  ban- 
ners flying.  The  towns  of  Sta  Domingo  and  San 
Ildefonso  were  soon  passed,  reaching  Bantay  at 
the  bank  of  the  Rio  Abra  at  dark.  This  wide,  tur- 
bulent stream  spreads  out  here  and  covers  such  a 
space  that  the  water  is  shallow  enough  for  fording 
without  any  danger.  At  eight  o'clock  we  were 
escorted  to  the  Palacio  at  Vigan,  the  former  resi- 
dence of  the  Spanish  governor  of  the  province  of 
Ilocos  Sur,  but  then  being  used  as  the  headquar- 
ters of  Colonel  Tino,  and  there  we  were  provided 
with  dinner  and  large  sleeping  rooms  with  neat 
and  clean  beds  for  the  night.  The  commandante 
was  polite  and  courteous  in  every  possible  way, 
throwing  open  his  house  for  our  benefit  and  en- 
tertainment. He  had  music  for  our  pleasure  and 
said  he  was  only  sorry  he  had  not  more. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

VIGAN,  CAPITAL  OF  ILOCOS  SUR. 

VIGAN  is  the  capital  of  the  province  of  Ilocos 
Sur,   with   a    popualtion   of    27,000.      Its 
streets  are  well  laid  out,  though  somewhat 
overgrown  with  grass,  and  all  the  houses  near  the 
center  of  the  town  are  built  up  of  brick  and  wood, 
usually  whitewashed.     It  has  much  more  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  city  than  any  other  town  we  visited. 

In  addition  to  the  Palacio  the  residence  of  the 
arch  bishop  is  a  striking  edifice,  and,  if  anything, 
more  elegant  in  all  its  surroundings  and  appear- 
ance. 

At  the  Palacia  there  were  quartered  over  eigh- 
teen military  officers ;  all  very  young  as  is  usual  in 
the  Filipino  army.  The  oldest  one  among  them 
was  a  man  of  twenty-nine  years,  with  the  grade  of 
a  captain.  These  officers  were  most  inquisitive, 
dipping  into  all  sorts  of  subjects  that  required 
diplomacy  to  avoid  answering  in  a  direct  manner, 
but  were  pleasant  enough  and  willing  to  render 


VIGAN— CAPITAL  OF  ILOCOS  SUR.  153 

any  assistance  necessary.  The  uniforms  were  no- 
ticeably fine,  many  made  of  pure  silk  by  the  women 
of  the  province,  and  their  swords  and  revolvers 
were  silver  plated. 

We  remained  at  Vigan  all  next  day,  November 
1 2th.  It  had  rained  during  the  night,  rendering 
impassable  a  part  of  the  road  to  the  next  town. 
We  walked  through  the  streets  visiting  the  shops 
of  several  tradespeople.  At  one  of  these  we  heard 
the  first  and  only  definite  complaint  which  came  to 
our  ears  during  the  entire  journey,  on  the  part  of 
the  natives,  against  the  present  government. 
These  people  complained  of  the  taxes  imposed 
upon  them,  and  even  went  so  far  as  to  state  that 
they  preferred  the  Spanish  government.  This 
statement  was  made  in  the  presence  of  a  party  of 
six  natives  and  was  acquiesced  in  by  all.  They  were 
all,  however,  of  the  same  family. 

The  general  appearance  of  Vigan  was  that  it 
had  been  a  prosperous  town  with  important  com- 
mercial transactions,  as  evidenced  by  the  number 
of  Chinamen  in  trade,  who  only  go  where  business 
is  brisk  and  profitable.  At  this  time  there  was  a 
dull,  inactive  atmosphere  surrounding  the  city, 
and  no  one  seemed  to  be  doing  anything  but  wait- 
ing for  developments. 


154  THROUGH    LUZON. 

The  country  near  Vigan  is  fair  to  look  upon ;  the 
land  is  fertile  and  wonderfully  productive.  Many 
cattle  and  sheep  are  raised  in  the  hills,  this  indus- 
try not  thriving  very  well,  though  a  good  market  is 
afforded  at  Vigan  and  Manila.  The  value  of  land 
is  reasonable,  large  tracts  of  which  are  obtainable 
for  a  small  amount,  though  the  surveys,  what  they 
are,  no  doubt  being  much  confused. 

In  the  early  morning  of  the  next  day  the  Fran- 
ciscan priest  who  had  charge  of  the  matters  per- 
taining to  his  order  in  that  district,  invited  me  to 
accompany  him  across  the  river  from  Vigan  en 
route  south.  The  stream  was  so  wide,  however, 
and  the  current  so  strong,  we  were  compelled  to 
build  "balsas,"  and  thus  ferry  our  party  over.  On 
the  opposite  bank  was  waiting  a  handsome  Victor- 
ia and  horses,  in  which  we  proceeded  to  the  town 
of  Santa.  Here  I  was  asked  to  visit  an  extensive 
sugar  mill,  the  output  of  which  was  the  principal 
product  of  the  province.  A  sort  of  liquor  or  "cana 
dulce"  was  manufactured  in  large  quantities, 
though  shipped  mostly  to  Manila,  the  natives  be- 
ing most  temperate  in  their  drinks,  and  this  stuff 
is  fiery  enough  to  satisfy  even  a  wild  Apache.  The 
mill  had  extensive  machinery,  large  iron  crushing 
rolls  and  evaporating  pans  with  a  refining  process 
in  the  building.  It  was  not  running  constantly, 
the  cane  cultivation  being  insufficient  to  supply  the 
mill  enough  for  its  full  capacity. 


VIGAN— CAPITAL  OF  ILOCOS  SUR.  155 

From  Santa  to  Narvacan  we  came  to  the  pass 
of  Pidig.  The  road  here  passes  between  a  bold 
rocky  point  and  the  sea.  The  sea  line  was  seventy 
or  eighty  feet  from  the  bluff,  but  in  windy  weather 
the  waves  cover  the  road  and  dash  against  the 
rocks  in  furioitsness.  During  the  insurrection  the 
Spaniards  attempted  to  defend  this  pass,  and  their 
barriers  are  still  standing. 

From  this  pass  the  road  remained  good  to  Nar- 
vacan, where  a  short  halt  was  made,  but  long 
enough  to  visit  the  Presidente  Local — a  bright 
young  man,  quietly  occupying  the  former  resi- 
dence of  the  local  priest,  a  well  furnished  house, 
with  a  library  of  rare  books  from  which  the  presi- 
dente  offered  us  any  we  wished  to  take.  Am  very 
sorry  that  I  was  hindered  in  accepting  some  of 
these  fifteenth  century  volumes,  but  any  additional 
weight,  however  valuable,  was  not  to  be  consid- 
ered. 

At  this  town  we  were  joined  by  Captain  Nativi- 
dad,  an  officer  of  eighteen  years,  who  commanded 
the  military  forces  in  the  three  neighboring  vil- 
lages, and  he  accompanied  us  to  Santa  Maria, 
where  we  spent  the  night  in  a  convent. 

In  traveling  through  the  islands  I  had  learned 
that  where  there  were  towns  that  could  be  reached 
at  night,  no  difficulty  was  found  in  obtaining  places 


»56  THROUGH    LUZON. 

to  sleep  at  night  without  the  necessity  of  using 
tents,  and  on  this  knowledge  I  had  left  our  camp- 
ing outfit  at  Aparri,  making  such  stages  on  the 
road  as  would  bring  us  to  a  certain  place  during 
daylight.  It  was  nearly  always  a  room  in  the  con- 
vento  that  was  put  at  our  disposal. 

The  convento  at  Santa  Maria  occupied  a  most 
beautiful  and  imposing  location  upon  an  elevation 
on  the  side  of  the  mountain,  strongly  built  as  a 
fortress,  overlooking  the  town  and  valley.  It  was 
a  large  and  massive  structure  of  heavy  stone,  the 
rooms  very  commodious,  containing  furniture  re- 
markable for  its  quality  of  material.  The  head 
boards  and  posts  of  the  bed  were  carved  out  of 
solid  mahogany  in  most  artistic  figures.  The  bed 
spreads  were  made  of  cotton  woven  in  the  manner 
peculiar  to  the  locality.  One  of  these  was  presented 
to  me  by  the  occupant  of  the  convent.  I  succeeded 
in  getting  it  to  Manila,  but  had  to  part  with  it,  on 
account  of  weight  before  leaving  for  the  United 
States,  some  time  later. 

Stained  glass  windows  softened  the  light  falling 
into  the  drawing  room,  which  was  decorated  with 
pictures  and  tapestries.  The  walls  had  been  fres- 
coed by  some  one  of  artistic  pretentions,  the  col- 
ors blending  harmoniously.  Everything  had  been 
left  by  the  priests  in  good  condition,  when  sudden- 


VIGAN— CAPITAL  OF  ILOCOS  SUR.  157 

ly  called  upon  to  abandon  without  parley,  their 
comfortable  abode. 

The  church,  or  cathedral  as  it  might  be  called, 
adjoined  the  convento  by  only  a  short  intervening 
space  and  was  unusually  large  for  so  small  a  town. 
There  may  be  some  reason,  which  I  did  not  learn, 
why  such  grand  structures  should  be  built  in  this 
unimportant  place.  Seated  at  a  window  in  the. 
morning,  overlooking  the  village,  I  noticed  a  funer- 
al procession  coming  toward  the  church.  It 
stopped  under  some  heavy  trees,  where  a  short 
ceremony  took  place,  and  then  ascended  the  long 
row  of  stone  steps  leading  to  the  entrance  of  the 
cathedral.  As  it  passed  near  my  window  I  saw  it 
was  that  of  a  woman,  the  casket  open,  her  face  up- 
turned, bared  to  the  pitiless  sky,  and  a  black  wood- 
en cross  placed  upon  her  breast.  The  procession 
passed  within,  and  after  the  usual  formalities,  came 
out  again,  disappearing  in  the  direction  of  the  cem- 
etery. I  noticed  at  this  place,  as  in  others,  how 
well  dressed  the  people  usually  were,  and  one  nev- 
er sees  a  man,  however  humble,  in  tattered  and 
torn  or  shabby  clothes. 

The  view  from  the  convento  towards  the  Cordil- 
leras in  the  east,  again  stimulated  our  fondest  de- 
sire to  risk  our  safety  along  the  practically  un- 
known trails  of  this  enticing  locality.  It  always 


158  THROUGH    LUZON. 

seems  that  a  forbidden  country,  about  which  only 
vague  and  legendary  information  is  given,  is  just 
what  inspires  one  with  a  restless  and  venturesome 
spirit  to  investigate  it,  surrounded  as  it  generally 
is  by  the  greatest  danger. 

With  this  feeling  I  intended  leaving  Santa  Maria 
by  trail  for  the  mountains,  passing  through  the 
provinces  of  Lepanto  and  Benguet  and  returning 
to  the  main  road  in  the  province  of  La  Union. 
When  we  wished  to  start  next  morning,  Captain 
Natividad  opposed  our  going,  saying  he  was  un- 
der orders  to  take  that  action.  It  rained  very  hard 
all  night  and  all  morning,  and  the  captain  gave  as 
his  first  reason  that  the  trail  was  not  passable.  It 
was  only  when  we  continued  to  insist,  that  he  told 
us  positively  he  could  not  permit  us  to  go,  as  there 
was  danger  from  the  Igorrotes,  and  Colonel  Tino 
felt  himself  responsible  for  our  safety,  and  besides 
had  invited  us  to  visit  him  at  San  Fernando,  the 
capital  of  the  province  of  La  Union. 

I  was  unable  to  understand  or  divine  the  stren- 
uous opposition  to  our  passing  through  this  moun- 
tainous district,  except  on  the  ground  of  fear  in 
the  minds  of  officials  that  we  were  there  for  no  oth- 
er purpose  than  making  a  mental  survey  of  all  stra- 
tegic points.  We  afterwards  met  a  German  en 
route  to  his  ranch  in  the  hills  in  the  province  of 


VIGAN— CAPITAL  OF  ILOCOS  SUR.  159 

Benguet,  so  that  dispelled  the  theory  of  any  dan- 
ger from  the  wild  tribes  of  the  mountains. 

With  the  hope  of  penetrating  more  deeply  into 
the  interior  deferred  until  we  could  see  Col.  Tino 
personally,  a  start  was  made  in  the  afternoon  from 
Santa  Maria,  and  Candon  was  reached  before 
night.  Along  this  route  the  road  was  very  good 
and  we  passed  through  the  small  towns  of  San 
Esteban  and  Santiago  without  stopping. 

Candon  is  a  handsome  town,  symmetrically  laid 
out,  and  after  Vigan  was  the  finest  we  had  visited. 
There  were  two  captains  and  several  lieutenants 
stationed  here  who  received  us  with  unusual  cour- 
tesy. The  presidente  local  was  most  gracious  in 
his  attentions,  furnishing  the  best  that  was  afforded 
in  the  way  of  food  and  service.  After  dinner  we 
adjourned  to  the  sala  and  were  presented  to  the 
important  men  of  the  town,  who  had  come  to  pay 
their  respects  and  make  inquiries  upon  subjects 
which  interested  them  most.  In  conversation  I 
found  two  of  the  men  of  a  very  progressive  spirit, 
Senores  Abaya  and  Villalobos,  and  after  our  dis- 
cussing the  resources  of  the  adjacent  districts  and 
our  disappointment  at  not  learning  more  about 
them,  they  expressed  the  belief  that  no  objection 
could  be  made  to  our  going  there.  They  did  not 
know,  however,  how  vainly  we  had  attempted  to 


160  THROUGH    LUZON. 

carry  out  such  a  plan.  In  the  morning  these  men 
appeared  with  a  letter  very  well  written  in  Span- 
ish as  follows : 

*"Senores  Abayay  Villalobos,  ciudadanos  filipi- 
no  del  pueblo  de  Kandon  de  la  provincia  de  Ilocos 
Stir,  ofrece  respetuosamente  Sus  servicios  al 
Excmo.  Senor  Gral,  Americano  y  desea  accom- 
panarle  cuando  haga  la  excursion  por  los  montes 
de  Lepanto  y  Tiagan  con  la  autorizacion  que  sol- 
icitara  de  su  G.  R. 

Kandon 
15  de  Noviembre,  1898," 

It  being  out  of  the  question  to  consider  such  a 
journey  at  this  stage,  I  told  them  so,  but  Senor 
Abaya  had  other  schemes  after  that.  He  said 
Candon  was  a  good  place  to  establish  a  factory  for 
making  cloth,  various  kinds  of  drinks  and  canned 
vegetables,  and  offered  his  services  as  a  manager 

*"Senores  Abaya  and  Villalobos,  Philippine  citi- 
zens of  the  town  of  Candon  province  of  Ilocos  Sur 
respectfully  offer  their  services  to  the  American 
officer,  and  wish  to  accompany  him  when  he  makes 
the  excursion  through  the  mountains  of  Lepanto 
and  Tiagan,  with  the  authorization  which  we  would 
solicit  from  him. 

Candon,  i5th  Nov.  1898. 


VIGAN— CAPITAL  OF  ILOCOS  SUR.  161 

or  stockholder.  Another  of  his  plans  was  to  buy 
coffee  in  Lepanto  and  ship  it  to  Manila  at  a  great 
profit.  He  said  he  could  buy  gold  there  from 
$12  to  $14  in  silver  an  ounce  and  copper  also  was 
to  be  had  in  quantities.  As  in  other  districts  of  the 
island  there  seems  to  have  been  more  reports  of 
gold  than  evidences  of  the  metal  itself.  When  a 
geological  survey  is  made  and  the  pick  and  shovel 
actually  used,  or  placers  worked  with  a  pan,  I  dare 
say  some  reliable  information  may  be  obtained; 
yet  the  formation  of  the  rocks  is  so  comparatively 
recent  that  the  theory  of  the  existence  of  gold 
would  not  justify  the  expectation  of  finding  it  in 
any  great  quantity.  It  reminds  one  of  the  old  sto- 
ry of  the  rainbow.  "There  are  bags  full  of  gold 
at  the  end  of  the  bow,"  but  a  difficult  matter  to 
quite  reach  it,  being  always  just  over  the  mountain. 
This  man  Abaya  was  a  unique  specimen  of  a 
Filipino,  full  of  energy  and  could  turn  his  hand  to 
anything ;  much  like  a  man  I  know  who  operated 
to  a  small  extent  in  Wall  street.  He  had  thirteen 
schemes  to  make  a  million,  but  not  one  to  make 
a  living. 

The  home  of  one  of  my  servants,  Pedro,  was 
at  Candon,  and  he  piloted  me  around  the  town, 
stopping  at  one  shop  where  "Nitos"  were  made. 
(The  little  silver  gods  worshipped  by  the  various 


i6a  THROUGH    LUZON. 

tribes  in  the  mountains.)  The  proprietor  was  do- 
ing such  a  rushing  business  he  had  only  a  few  of 
the  doubled-up  human  figures  left,  and  these  with- 
out arms.  I  wanted  one  as  a  "mascot,"  and  he 
promised  to  complete  one  and  send  it  to  me  at 
Manila,  but  it  must  be  doing  duty  as  a  safeguard 
for  some  wild  man,  as  it  never  reached  me. 


CHAPTER  X. 

ALONG  THE  WEST  COAST. 

THE  Presidente  Local  of  Candon  having  done 
his  utmost  to  make  a  pleasant  break  in  our 
journey,  was  alert  early,  making  prepara- 
tions for  going  south,  and  with   a   captain,   rode 
with  us  to  Santa  Lucia,  where  to  my  regret  he 
retraced  his  way  homeward.     Fresh  horses  were 
found  awaiting  us  and  there  was  no  lack  of  official 
courtesy  in  making  our  party  seem  important  by 
having  a  sufficient  escort. 

The  roads  were  found  in  good  condition  with  a 
few  exceptions,  along  which  we  made  fair  progress 
through  the  towns  of  Santa  Cruz,  Tagdin  and  Ban- 
where  the  night  was  to  be  passed.  The  carriages 
where  the  night  ws  to  be  passed.  The  carriages 
we  had  were  drawn  by  either  horses,  steers  or  buf- 
faloes, according  to  the  state  of  the  road,  and 
many  times  walking  was  another  means.  In  go- 
ing from  Tagudin  to  Bangan  we  left  the  province 
of  Ilocos  Sur  entering  that  of  La  Union.  Cocoa- 

'63 


164  THROUGH    LUZON. 

nut  groves  shaded  either  side  of  the  highway.  This 
thoroughfare  was  raised  above  the  level  of  the 
fields,  with  a  foundation  of  stone  and  was  built 
more  than  a  hundred  years  ago.  Most  all  of  the 
bridges  had  been  burned  during  the  insurrection, 
but  a  substitute  was  made  of  bamboo  to  last  dur- 
ing the  dry  season  from  December  to  June.  In 
the  rainy  months  a  ferry  or  raft  is  hauled  across 
the  stream  by  means  of  a  bamboo  rope. 

There  are  more  barrios  here  than  in  the  eastern 
provinces,  each  town  having  two  or  three,  and  the 
struggle  during  the  insurrection  was  harder  as 
shown  by  the  devasted  appearance  of  the  district. 
Spanish  soldiers  burned  the  smaller  houses,  taking 
refuge  in  the  larger  buildings,  usually  the  church 
and  convento,  which  were  consequently  riddled 
with  rifle  shots. 

One  could  not  but  notice  the  industry  of  the  wo- 
men, almost  ceaselessly  at  work  weaving  cotton  in 
their  thatched  cottages  surounded  by  a  profusion 
of  natural  flowers  and  verdure,  and  to  all  appear- 
ances quite  contented.  The  cotton  of  IIocos  Sur 
is  made  into  cloth,  towels,  etc.,  some  of  it  coarse, 
but  strong,  and  other  pieces  of  exquisitely  fine  tex- 
ture. While  the  women  are  allowed  an  amount 
of  liberty  unknown  in  other  eastern  countries,  they 
are  rigidly  loyal  and  devoted  to  their  homes  and 


ALONG   THE  WEST   COAST.  167 

families,  and  do  a  full  share  of  the  work  in  a  cheer- 
ful and  always  pleasant  natural  manner. 

This  narrow  strip  between  the  Cordilleras  and 
the  sea  is  thickly  settled,  and  is  a  region  where 
climate  is  preferable  to  that  of  the  low-lying  dis- 
tricts around  Manila.  The  Spaniards  spent  much 
money  in  constructing  the  most  important  high- 
way of  the  island  along  this  coast,  and  the  railroad 
from  Dagupan  is  projected  to  follow  this  line  to 
Laoag  in  Ilocos  Norte,  the  completion  of  which 
will  add  immeasurably  to  the  products  of  the  fields 
and  forests.  The  slow,  tiresome  gait  of  a  carabao, 
almost  the  companion  of  the  native,  must  yield  to 
more  rapid  means  of  transportation,  as  the  Filipino 
seems  to  take  especial  delight  in  traveling  in  raft- 
road  cars  when  he  can. 

At  the  town  of  Namacpacan  carriages  were  pro- 
vided for  continuing  to  San  Fernando,  the  capital 
of  the  province  of  La  Union.  I  was  getting  most 
anxious  to  reach  Manila  now,  my  leave  of  absence 
having  expired,  and  I  did  not  know  what  the  Ad- 
miral might  say  about  my  delay  in  reporting  on 
board  ship.  There  was  nothing  that  could  be 
done  to  hasten  our  return  in  a  country  where  the 
most  rapid  means  of  travel  would  not  take  one 
more  than  ten  or  fifteen  miles  in  a  day.  I  did  my 
best  to  encourage  more  rapid  speed,  but  still  we 

10  ' 


168  THROUGH    LUZON. 

had  to  "soldier"  along  through  the  towns  of  Dag- 
notan  and  San  Juan,  quite  forgetting  time  and  dis- 
tance in  the  absorbing  surroundings  of  this  still  at- 
tractive region  coming  into  view  from  hour  to 
hour. 

Reaching  San  Fernando  we  were  escorted  to 
the  palacio,  formerly  occupied  by  the  Spanish  gov- 
ernor of  the  province  of  La  Union,  and  there  met 
Colonel  Tino,  one  whom  we  most  wished  to  see. 
He  was  a  young  man  of  about  twenty-two  years 
of  age,  with  a  sharp,  piercing  eye,  very  nervous, 
very  busy  and  quite  domineering.  At  this  time 
Colonel  Tino  was  commander  of  the  military  dis- 
trict embracing  the  provinces  of  North  and  South 
Ilocos,  Union,  Abra,  Lepanto,  Bontoc  and  Ben- 
guet.  He  had  just  received  his  commission  as 
brigadier-general,  and  there  was  a  grand  celebra- 
tion to  take  effect  the  following  day.  In  conse- 
quence the  town  was  gay  with  flags  and  bunting 
and  crowded  with  throngs  of  people  from  neigh- 
boring towns. 

In  the  palacio  were  quartered  about  twenty  na- 
tive officers  with  ourselves,  all  dressed  in  their  fin- 
est uniforms  and  accoutrements.  One  of  them, 
more  kindly  disposed  than  the  others,  took  the 
trouble  in  showing  us  around,  explaining  how  des- 
perate the  fighting  was  at  this  place  with  the  Span- 


ALONG    THE   WEST    COAST.  169 

ish  garrison.  The  building  showed  it  in  every 
room,  the  walls  being  simply  riddled  with  bullets, 
outside  and  through  all  the  windows. 

After  dispatching  some  business  Gen.  Tino  re- 
ceived us  politely,  but  not  with  remarkable  cordi- 
ality. He  expressed  several  times  his  suspicion 
with  regard  to  the  object  of  our  journey,  and 
asked  frequently  if  we  knew  how  to  make  maps 
and  plans;  also  why  we  were  not  in  uniform.  We 
had  sent  word  to  this  officer  that  we  desired  to 
visit  the  province  of  Benguet,  taking  the  trail  from 
San  Fernando.  He  showed  us  an  unsigned  tele- 
gram purporting  to  be  from  the  central  govern- 
ment instructing  him  not  to  pemit  the  American 
officers  to  reconnoiter  any  further  in  the  district. 
For  this  reason  he  said  he  could  not  permit  us  to 
visit  Benguet.  We  sent,  through  him,  a  telegram 
to  the  central  government  repeating  our  request 
and  calling  attention  to  their  war  department's  or- 
der of  October  2Oth  regarding  travelers.  We  were 
informed  next  morning  by  General  Tino  that  our 
request  had  been  refused.  The  reason  given  was 
that  there  were  dangers  on  the  trail. 

After  convincing  him  of  being  satisfied  with  the 
state  of  affairs,  and  manifesting  a  deeper  interest 
in  the  products  of  the  country  and  beauties  lying 
in  the  wooded  hills  than  in  military  affairs,  he  soft- 


'70  THROUGH    LUZON. 

ened  down  to  a  more  friendly  conversation,  offer- 
ing the  usual  hospitalities  and  particularly  insist- 
ing upon  our  going  to  the  dinn-er  given  to  his  offi- 
cers and  officials  and  their  wives  the  following  day 
at  twelve  o'clock.  This  was  accepted  with  appro- 
priate thanks  and  appreciation. 

During  the  morning  we  strolled  around,  visiting 
places  of  interest,  not  least  of  which  was  the  large 
"cabildo"  or  jail,  an  enormous  structure,  built  of 
heavy  stone  with  strong  iron  bars  to  each  cell. 
One  of  those  places  over  the  door  of  which  might 
properly  be  inscribed:  "Who  enters  here  leaves 
hope  behind." 

San  Fernando  is  a  town  of  only  three  or  four 
thousand  inhabitants,  very  limited  in  are?.,  lying 
between  the  mountains  and  the  sea,  and  is  the  port 
of  entry  for  the  province  of  La  Union.  I  noticed 
trains  of  buffalo  carts  bringing  in  tobacco  and  cof- 
fee for  exportation,  and  some  thriftiness  among 
the  shop  keepers,  chief  of  whom  were  Chinese. 

A  short  time  before  twelve  we  were  escorted  to 
a  very  large  and  roomy  public  building  facing  the 
square  in  front  of  the  palacio  and  there  presented 
to  the  important  civil  and  military  officials.  The 
native  band  was  making  the  atmosphere  cheerful, 
and  it  seemed  to  me  their  music  had  good  time, 
though  the  melody  was  strange.  The  decorations 


ALONG   THE   WEST   COAST.  173 

were  lavish  with  flowers  and  flags  of  the  country, 
to  which  were  added  many  gay  colors  of  women's 
dresses,  the  younger  ones  displaying  gowns  of  blue 
and  yellow  silks,  while  the  elders  wore  the  custom- 
ary white  camisas  and  dark  skirts.  The  men  were 
well  attired  with  neat  white  shirts,  collars  and  ties, 
black  coats  and  trousers.  A  number  of  the  young 
women  had  bright  and  attractive  looking  faces, 
and  comely,  graceful  manners.  I  must  confess  I 
felt  somewhat  chagrined  in  joining  this  large 
assembly  with  a  traveling  suit  that  had  seen  hard 
service  and  a  pair  of  worn  out  shoes.  The  com- 
pany was  soon  summoned  to  the  table,  richly  cov- 
ered with  flowers,  china  and  glassware,  at  which 
eighty  persons  were  seated. 

The  courses  were  served  in  regular  manner, 
soup,  fish  and  then  chicken  and  meats,  followed 
by  dessert  and  coffee.  Wine  was  liberally  brought 
on  at  intervals,  and  at  the  end  cigars,  more  than 
usually  good.  At  this  stage  of  the  dinner  speeches 
were  made,  and  great  things  were  promised  by  the 
Philippine  Republic  in  the  near  future.  General 
Tino  was  not  the  least  enthusiastic  one  among 
them,  praising  the  army  and  all  the  native  people 
in  general.  I  sat  next  to  a  rather  intelligent  young 
woman,  with  whom  I  endeavored  to  carry  on  a 
conversation,  but  for  some  reason  she  did  not 
seem  deeply  interested  in  what  I  said,  or  else  her 


174  THROUGH    LUZON. 

thoughts  were  on  other  things  than  those  I  ven- 
tured to  put  forth.  Altogether  it  was  a  dinner 
such  as  one  might  attend  in  a  country  more  pre- 
tentious than  Luzon,  so  far  as  the  general  service 
of  the  table  was  concerned.  There  was  a  feeling 
of  light-heartedness  among  the  guests,  and  when 
the  band  again  commenced  to  play  in  the  sala,  a 
large  number  of  those  present  started  dancing. 
The  lancers  was  about  the  same  as  usually  danced, 
and  I  found  no  difficulty  in  getting  through  them 
without  serious  blunders  or  stepping  on  some 
young  woman's  train  with  my  heavy  shoes.  Sev- 
eral specimens  of  purely  native  steps  were  intro- 
duced, showing  great  skill  in  the  various  move- 
ments of  the  feet  and  body. 

In  thus  mingling  with  the  people  and  joining 
their  festivities  and  conversations,  I  had  learned 
much  of  the  home  life  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  in- 
terior, products  and  industries,  which  interested 
me  more  than  the  political  condition  of  the  island. 
Life  in  general  on  this  west  coast  betrayed  a 
brighter  aspect,  more  comfort,  better  means  of 
obtaining  luxuries,  being  easier  of  access  to  Manila 
than  in  the  valley  of  the  Rio  Grande. 

I  left  the  assembled  company  late  in  the  after- 
noon for  our  quarters,  expressing  due  appreciation 
for  the  kindness  shown  us,  and  thanking  our  en- 
tertainers for  a  most  pleasant  day. 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE  PROVINCE  OF  BENGUET. 

GENERAL  Tino  was  good  enough  to  start 
us  off  in  the  morning  duly  provided  with 
carriages  and  outriders,  probably  not  re- 
gretting to  be  free  from  the  burden  of  having  us 
longer  on  his  hands.  We  drove  along  leisurely  all 
the  forenoon,  arriving  at  Bauang  about  twelve 
o'clock,  resting  there  for  about  two  hours  and  tak- 
ing lunch  with  the  local  civil  officials  at  the  presi- 
dencia.  A  short  "siesta"  was  suggested  after 
smoking  some  good  cigars,  but  this  was  inter- 
rupted by  the  entrance  of  a  German,  Mr.  Otto 
Sheerer,  who  learning  that  two  Americans  were 
there,  came  and  introduced  himself. 

Mr.  Sheerer  was  en  route  to  his  coffee  estate  in 
the  mountains  in  the  province  of  Benguet,  where 
he  had  lived  for  three  years  with  his  wife  and  fam- 
ily of  two  daughters.  He  said  the  trail  was  safe 
and  could  be  traveled  by  horses,  though  he  had 
himself  carried  in  a  sort  of  sedan  chair,  suspended 


»7*  THROUGH    LUZON. 

from  long  bamboo  poles  on  the  shoulders  of  native 
men.  According  to  his  statement  the  Igorrotes 
of  the  province  are  very  gentle  people,  but  these 
are  the  civilized  ones,  or  Tinguanes.  He  had  been 
in  the  tobacco  business  at  Manila,  but  finding  his 
health  slowly  giving  way,  tried  this  district;  the 
clear  crystal  water  and  high  elevation  restored  it, 
so  he  decided  to  make  his  home  there  and  raise 
coffee.  The  plants  thrive  in  the  proper  tempera- 
ture found  along  the  foot  hills  and  the  industry  is 
profitable. 

This  district  is  one  hundred  and  seventy  miles 
from  Manila,  most  of  the  distance  covered  by  rail 
to  Dagupan.  The  elevation  is  from  3,000  to  4,000 
feet,  the  climate  deliciously  cool,  the  lowest  tem- 
perature being  about  thirty  degrees  in  winter  and 
seventy-five  in  the  summer.  It  was  proposed  by 
the  Spanish  government  to  build  a  Sanitarium  in 
Benguet  for  the  recuperation  of  invalid  soldiers, 
also  roads  leading  to  it  from  the  coast,  and  it  may 
be  that  the  United  States  will  complete  the  plan. 

Several  hot  mineral  springs  in  this  locality  were 
studied  by  a  Commission  and  the  analyses  of  the 
waters  show  medicinal  properties.  The  one  at 
Galiano,  in  the  western  part  of  Benguet,  was 
changed  in  its  thermal  and  sulphurous  qualities  by 
an  earthquake  in  1892.  Three  of  the  springs  show 


THE  PROVINCE  OF  BENGUET.  177 

sulphur,  chloride  of  sodium  and  bicarbonate  of 
iron.  It  would  be  interesting  to  have  a  quantita- 
tive analysis  of  these  waters  for  their  value  as  cura- 
tive agents  which  they  must  possess. 

An  Englishman  who  lived  there  three  years  be- 
fore the  Philippine  Commission,  says :  "One  needs 
blankets  at  night,  that  there  is  no  fever  and  no 
mosquitoes,  the  air  being  pure  and  fresh  and  the 
water  splendid.  Cattle,  horses,  sheep,  rice  and 
sweet  potatoes  flourish — also  tea  and  coffee  and 
bananas.  There  seems  to  be  any  amount  of  gold, 
copper  and  silver  mined  in  a  crude  fashion,  panned 
out  by  the  Indians  in  ap  rimitive  sort  of  way  in  a 
cocoanut  shell.  There  is  a  great  amount  of  tim- 
ber there,  pine  trees  that  grow  up  to  200  feet  and 
five  to  six  feet  in  diameter,  white  pine  and  pitch 
pine. 

"The  conditions  for  recuperating  health  are  much 
better  in  Beuquet  than  in  any  place  in  Europe. 
There  is  clear  freestone  water;  water  containing 
iron;  water  containing  sulphur;  water  containing 
magnesia;  and  also  salt  water,  which  is  a  strong 
and  efficacious  purgative  water.  The  sulphur  wa- 
ters are  very  strong;  some  have  a  temperature  of 
70  degrees,  and  there  are  others  cold.  They  smell 
very  strongly  of  sulphur,  and  from  a  distance 
which  requires  half  an  hour  to  travel  you  can 


I7»  THROUGH    LUZON. 

smell  the  sulphur.  There  is  a  volcano,  but  it  is 
very  old;  nothing  more  than  the  smoke  coming 
out.  It  does  not  emit  fire,  and  there  is  a  great 
deal  of  sulphur,  every  piece  the  size  of  a  man's  fist. 
This  volcano  would  probably  cover  six  or  seven 
square  miles,  and  in  some  places  it  burns  your 
hand  to  put  it  on  the  ground,  while  in  others  it 
feels  very  cold.  The  gold  mines  in  this  district 
are  worked  by  nature  itself.  The  Agno  river  pro- 
duces most  of  it,  and  when  the  river  is  high  and 
backs  up,  the  Igorrotes  afterwards  go  and  get  the 
gold  which  is  left  by  the  waters,  and  they  find  small 
nuggets  of  six  and  eight  grains.  The  Igorrotes  of 
Beuquet  are  the  most  advanced ;  they  are  also  the 
richest  of  all  the  Igorrotes.  There  are  no  poor 
among  them  on  account  of  the  great  quantity  of 
gold,  for  if  a  man  has  no  money  he  goes  to  the 
river  and  gets  some  gold.  There  are  no  real  rich 
men,  for  if  a  man  there  has  $1,000  he  is  considered 
rich. 

"Altogether  the  province  of  Beuquet  is  the  most 
healthful  in  all  the  Philippines ;  the  scenery  is  mag- 
nificent ;  the  waters  pure,  whether  from  hot  or  cold 
springs ;  the  air  rich  in  the  aroma  from  pine  forest ; 
the  food  fresh  and  wholesome,  and  people  who  go 
there  with  dysentery  or  fever,  after  a  month  or  two 
come  back  to  Manila  quite  fresh  men.  The  Igor- 


THE   PROVINCE   OF   BENGUET.  »79 

rotes  are  very  peaceful  and  quiet,  and  though  not 
taxed,  were  oppressed.  The  Spanish  Comman- 
dant would  have  a  birthday,  and  the  priests  would 
have  another  one,  then  the  Commandant's  wife, 
and  the  natives  would  have  to  bring  in  presents  of 
gold  or  cattle  or  something  else  on  these  birthdays, 
and  in  all  the  Spanish  feasts  they  would  have  to 
do  exactly  the  same  thing.  Each  chief,  in  fact  the 
whole  of  the  natives,  would  have  to  bring  in  gold 
or  cattle  to  present  to  the  Commandant,  and  it 
worked  better  for  him  than  taxation." 

I  particularly  noticed  the  build  of  the  men  Mr. 
Sheerer  had  with  him,  all  of  them  strong  and  mus- 
cular, and  he  told  me  they  were  full  of  endurance, 
very  faithful  and  with  no  bad  traits.  On  their  own 
stamping  ground  they  worked  for  him  without 
complaint  and  he  never  interfered  with  their  hab- 
its or  customs.  The  condition  of  the  natives  here 
is  similar  to  that  described  by  Humboldt  of  those 
of  Mexico.  He  says:  "The  natives  enjoy  one 
great  physical  advantage  which  is  undoubtedly  ow- 
ing to  the  great  simplicity  in  which  their  ancestors 
lived.  They  are  subject  to  hardly  any  deformity. 
I  never  saw  a  hunchbacked  Indian,  and  it  is  ex- 
tremely rare  to  see  any  of  them  who  squint  or  are 
lame  in  arm  or  leg.  Their  hair  seldom  becomes 
gray,  nor  is  their  skin  subject  to  wrinkles,  and  it  is 


i8o  THROUGH    LUZON. 

by  no  means  uncommon  to  see  natives,  especially 
women,  reach  one  hundred  years  of  age.  We  can 
have  no  doubt  then,  that  the  absence  of  natural 
deformities  among  them  is  the  effect  of  their  mode 
of  life  and  the  constitutions  peculiar  to  their  race. 

"We  are  inclined  to  believe  that  the  Arab- 
European  race  possesses  a  greater  flexibility  of  or- 
ganization, and  that  it  is  more  easily  modified  by  a 
great  number  of  exterior  causes,  such  as  variety  of 
ailments,  climates  and  habits,  and  consequently 
has  a  greater  tendency  to  deviate  from  its  original 
model. 

"How  many  problems  then  are  to  be  solved  in  a 
mountainous  country,  which  exhibits  in  the  same 
latitude  the  greatest  variety  of  climates,  inhabitants 
of  three  or  four  primitive  races,  and  a  mixture  of 
these  races  in  all  the  combinations  imaginable? 
How  many  researches  to  be  made  regarding  the 
fecundity  and  longevity  of  the  species?  The  latter 
is  greater  or  less  according  to  the  elevation  and 
temperature  of  the  places,  the  variety  of  the  races 
and  finally,  according  to  the  difference  of  food  in 
provinces,  where  the  banana,  rice,  maize,  wheat 
and  potatoes  grow  together  in  a  narrow  space." 

I  have  paused  in  describing  my  journey  to  give 
space  to  the  above  remarks  of  the  people  around 
this  locality,  who  show  such  fine  bodies  and  mus- 


THE  PROVINCE  OF  BENGUET.  183 

cles,  that  one  cannot  but  watch  their  movements 
with  admiration.  If  I  were  to  live  in  Manila,  a 
month  of  each  year  would  be  taken  for  a  vacation 
in  the  mountains  of  Beuguet.  The  fruits  and  veg- 
etables, sparkling  spring  water,  and  coffee  that  is 
coffee,  not  forgetting  the  varieties  of  flowers  that 
beautify  the  surroundings  would  give  a  zest  to  life 
and  renewed  health  and  strength  to  an  enervated 
man. 

Mr.  Sheerer  was  with  us  constantly  during  the 
short  stop  at  Bauang,  and  as  we  started  off,  he 
joined  us  as  far  as  the  river,  returning  after  our 
having  put  the  equipment  and  servants  on  the 
ferry,  which  was  the  last  I  saw  of  him. 

The  first  stop  was  made  at  the  village  of  Caba, 
but  only  long  enough  to  get  a  fresh  relay  of  horses, 
and  we  continued  to  Aringay  and  found  it  neces- 
sary to  engage  caribao  to  cross  the  river  at  that 
place.  We  continued  the  journey  in  a  clear,  hot 
morning,  the  sun  coming  out  in  almost  burning 
fierceness,  and  at  noon,  November  18,  we  reached 
Santo  Tomas,  passing  the  village  of  Agoo  on  the 
road. 

After  lunching  with  the  local  officials,  who 
seemed  much  absorbed  in  a  letter  just  received 
from  a  Frenchman  in  Manila  making  inquiries 
about  purchasing  tobacco,  we  discussed  the  means 


i«4  THROUGH    LUZON. 

of  transportation  to  Dagupan.  The  land  between 
Santo  Tomas  and  Dagupan  is  very  low,  the  roads 
heavy,  and  the  easiest  way  to  cover  the  distance 
was  by  water;  we  accordingly  took  a  native  sail 
boat  or  proa,  to  make  the  passage  to  San  Fabian, 
the  natives  fearing  to  cross  the  bar  at  Dagupan, 
and  we  proceeded  to  our  destination  through  a 
protected  inlet  of  the  sea. 

Traveling  in  native  boats  is  the  most  uncom- 
fortable means  of  transportation  in  the  island.  In 
any  kind  of  a  sea  they  are  dangerous,  and  the  space 
for  one  to  occupy  is  so  cramped,  the  passenger 
must  remain  doubled  up  under  a  heavy  covering 
of  palm  leaves  for  a  deck,  and  should  any  accident 
happen,  no  chance  of  egress  could  be  had  in  time 
to  save  himself.  To  spend  several  hours  in  such  a 
boat  is  decidedly  more  fatiguing  than  an  all-day's 
trip  on  foot. 

Along  our  route  lay  great  beds  of  nipa,  or  palms, 
most  of  them  being  tapped  to  draw  the  sap  into 
bamboo  cups  that  hung  on  the  stalks  of  the  plants. 
This  was  gathered  daily  and  carried  to  a  distillery 
where  nipa,  a  sort  of  wine  or  liquor,  was  made.  The 
extent  of  these  nipa  beds  was  for  miles,  sufficient 
to  produce  an  unlimited  quantity  of  the  liquor, 
but  as  far  as  I  could  observe  the  natives  were  tem- 
perate in  their  use  of  it. 


THE   PROVINCE   OF  BENGUET.  185 

Our  landing  place  was  close  to  a  distillery  and 
in  waiting  for  a  cart  to  carry  us  farther  on,  the 
proprietor  explained  the  process  of  converting  the 
sap  into  the  article  for  commerce.  When  first  dis- 
tilled or  boiled  it  has  a  taste  similar  to  lemonade, 
but  fermentation  greatly  increases  the  percentage 
of  alcohol. 

Late  in  the  evening  a  conveyance  was  sent  down 
from  Dagupan,  carrying  us  to  that  place,  the  end 
of  the  railroad,  which  we  were  to  take  the  follow- 
ing day. 

Senor  Pedro  y  Torres  was  the  Commandante 
at  Dagupan,  a  man  of  suave  and  complaisant 
attitude  when  we  met  him,  but  it  all  be- lied 
his  true  character,  which  I  later  learned  to  be 
most  vicious  and  barbarous.  He  was  occupying 
the  house  of  the  former  Spanish  official,  who  was 
there  at  the  time,  but  in  the  role  of  a  prisoner  of 
war.  This  Spaniard  was  a  military  officer  and 
seemed  in  his  conversation  not  at  all  disturbed 
about  his  condition,  being  well  fed  and  the  side- 
board still  contained  a  goodly  supply  of  such  li- 
quors as  suited  his  taste,  the  remnants  of  his  own 
selection. 

It  was  necessary  to  remain  over  night  in  order 
to  get  the  train  in  the  morning.  The  Comman- 
dante realized  this,  and  offered  a  room  with  two 


186  THROUGH    LUZON. 

beds  in  it,  and  also  dinner,  both  of  which  were  ac- 
cepted. As  our  baggage,  what  little  then  re- 
mained, was  left  to  come  down  a  few  days  later,  I 
asked  Senor  Torres  to  allow  my  boy  Pedro  to 
remain  until  it  arrived  and  bring  it  to  Manila.  He 
consented,  and  promised  to  take  good  care  of  the 
servant.  I  had  no  sooner  left  Dagupan  than  this 
scoundrel  lashed  the  poor  boy  to  a  bed  post  with 
a  three  strand  piece  of  rope,  and  kept  him  in  that 
position  for  three  days.  Pedro  finally  extricated 
himself  by  an  ingenious  method,  got  the  baggage 
under  way  and  reached  Manila.  When  he  reported 
to  me,  his  arms  were  lacerated  from  the  shoulders 
to  his  elbows,  the  rope  having  cut  the  skin  a  quar- 
ter of  an  inch,  leaving  the  raw  flesh  exposed.  He 
was  subjected  to  this  barbarous  treatment  simply 
because  he  was  the  servant  of  American  naval  of- 
ficers. I  was  anxious  to  interview  Senor  Torres, 
but  my  time  was  too  limited.  To  the  credit  of  the 
Filipinos  I  will  say  this  was  the  only  instance  where 
any  of  my  party  were  mistreated  on  the  entire  trip. 
We  found  a  train  could  be  had  at  Dagupan  al- 
lowing a  stop  at  Bayambang,  which  we  took,  and 
there  met  again  our  kind  host,  Mr.  Clark.  He 
persuaded  us  to  remain  over  night,  and  it  was 
pleasant  to  accept  his  hospitality  a  second  time, 
because  an  Englishman  always  makes  himself 


A  NATIVE  FRUIT  CARRIER. 


THE  PROVINCE  OF  BENGUET.  189 

comfortable,  and  likewise  his  guests  in  any  coun- 
try, however  remote.  Mr.  Clark  expressed  sur- 
prise at  our  return  without  mishap.  After  a  de- 
licious breakfast  in  the  morning,  we  took  the  train 
for  the  last  time,  and  enjoyed  passing  through  the 
thickly  settled  provinces  on  the  way  to  Manila, 
arriving  there  in  the  afternoon  of  November  2Oth, 
going  to  the  Hotel  Lalla  Ary.  I  found  that  Cap- 
tain Whiting  was  at  the  Hotel  Oriente,  where  I 
reported  to  him,  and  in  the  morning  on  board  the 
"Monadnock." 

The  most  pleasant  duty  was  to  report  to  Ad- 
miral Dewey  on  the  "Olympia"  that  we  had  accom- 
plished the  object  of  our  leave  of  absence.  The 
Admiral  received  us  most  kindly  and  expressed 
great  interest  in  our  verbal  report.  It  certainly  is 
one  of  the  greatest  pleasures  of  naval  life  to  have 
the  approval  of  one's  acts  by  an  officer  for  whom 
one  has  the  highest  admiration  and  respect,  as  we 
have  for  Admiral  Dewey. 

I  still  had  my  original  party  scattered  over  the 
island,  and  the  next  few  days  was  occupied  in 
rounding  them  up.  First  came  a  servant  from 
Dagupan,  and  then  the  horses  by  steamer  from 
Aparri.  I  had  to  personally  attend  to  unloading 
them,  the  first  mate  not  just  knowing  the  proper 
manner ;  so  we  rigged  up  a  heavy  sling  and  hoist- 


i9o  THROUGH    LUZON. 

ed  them  out  and  lowered  them  on  the  deck.  Cap- 
tain Randolph  of  the  Third  Artillery  had  kindly 
offered  to  let  one  of  his  men  to  take  charge  of 
them.  They  were  a  hard  looking  lot,  but  after  a 
few  days  feeding  on  molasses  and  sacate,  or  green 
grass,  their  condition  was  good  enough  to  be  of- 
fered for  sale  and  were  purchased  by  the  Quar- 
termasters' Department  of  the  Army. 

It  was  with  more  than  ordinary  regret  I  dis- 
missed the  men  who  had  faithfully  followed  us,  one 
more  particularly,  who  was  very  anxious  to  go  with 
us  to  the  United  States.  I  feared  if  he  came  it 
would  not  be  long  until  homesickness  crept  into 
his  thoughts  and  make  him  useless. 

Thus  ended  a  trip  through  the  heart  of  Luzon, 
on  highways  and  byways  and  waterways.  In  a 
month  and  a  half  we  had  traveled  over  seven  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles  of  territory,  much  of  which 
was  known  to  few  who  had  personally  seen  it.  All 
sorts  of  means  of  transportation  were  required,  by 
railway,  on  horseback,  by  native  boats  and  rafts, 
with  steers  and  buffaloes,  by  steamer,  in  native 
carriages,  and  not  the  least  important,  on  foot. 

The  hardest  part  of  the  whole  distance  was  from 
San  Jose  to  Puncan,  over  a  trail  in  the  mountains, 
during  a  heavy  rain  all  day,  when  we  had  to  throw 
the  reins  over  the  horses'  saddles  and  let  them 


THE   PROVINCE   OF   BENGUET.  191 

make  the  best  of  their  way,  as  we  did,  on  foot.  Not 
a  stitch  of  clothing  was  dry,  and  by  sleeping  in 
these  wet  things  it  brought  on  dysentery,  a  prev- 
alent and  dangerous  disease  in  the  Philippines. 

We  had  crossed  the  Caraballo  Mountains,  the 
dividing  line  for  rivers  running  south  into  Manila 
Bay  and  north  into  the  Pacific  Ocean,  and  down 
the  extensive  valley  of  the  Rio  Grande  de  Caga- 
yan.  The  nights  were  generally  cool,  though  the 
sun  when  it  came  out  was  almost  unbearable  dur- 
ing the  middle  of  the  day.  The  rivers,  so  numer- 
ous, caused  a  display  of  courage  in  crossing  some 
of  the  flooded  streams,  and  my  companion,  Naval 
Cadet  Sargent,  with  unflinching  resolution,  would 
plunge  his  horse  into  a  current  of  six  and  seven 
miles  an  hour,  as  an  example  to  the  whole  party. 
He  was  full  of  endurance,  fearlessness,  and  bravery, 
never  weary,  and  without  him  the  trip  would  not 
have  been  completed,  I  fear. 

Down  the  entire  west  coast  a  more  advanced 
condition  of  life  obtains  than  in  the  less  frequented 
districts  of  the  Valley  of  the  Rio  Grande.  Houses 
are  more  substantially  built;  conveniences  for 
home  life  are  more  easily  obtainable.  Roads  are 
good  in  most  places,  except  the  bridges,  and  com- 
munication with  the  outside  world  frequent  and 
not  difficult. 


192  THROUGH    LUZON. 

In  the  northern  half  of  Luzon  variety  of  climate 
is  found,  from  very  warm  at  the  sea  level  to  very 
cool  in  the  greater  altitudes,  some  of  which  reach 
seven  thousand  feet. 

For  any  one  who  seeks  this  country,  he  can  with 
well  directed  energy  and  perseverance,  blaze  his 
way  into  a  suitable  climate,  and  doubtless  find  a 
livelihood  with  comparative  case. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE  MILITARY  ELEMENT. 

THE  Philippine  officers  both  military  and 
civil,  that  we  met  in  all  the  provinces  vis- 
ited, with  very  few  exceptions,  were  men 
of  intelligent  appearance  and  conversation.  The 
same  is  true  of  all  those  men  who  form  the  upper 
class  in  each  town.  The  education  of  most  of  them 
is  limited,  but  they  appear  to  sieze  every  opportun- 
ity to  improve  it.  They  have  great  respect  and 
admiration  for  learning.  Very  many  of  them  de- 
sired to  send  their  children  to  schools  in  the 
United  States  or  Europe,  and  many  men  of  im- 
portance in  different  towns  have  told  us  that  the 
first  use  to  be  made  of  the  revenue  of  their  gov- 
ernment, after  there  was  no  more  danger  of  war, 
was  to  start  good  schools  in  every  village.  The 
poorer  classes  are  extremely  ignorant  on  most 
subjects,  but  a  large  percentage  of  them  can  raed 
and  write.  There  is  a  very  marked  line  between 
these  two  classes,  and  this  has  been  broadened  by 

193 


194  THROUGH    LUZON. 

the  insurrection,  for  the  reason  that  military  offi- 
cers must  equip  themselves  without  pay,  and  that 
civil  officers  have  numerous  expenses  for  which 
they  receive  no  return.  All  officers,  civil  and  mil- 
itary, have  therefore  been  chosen  from  the  richer 
classes ;  and  the  political  and  military  power  of  the 
provinces  is  in  the  hands  of  that  element.  The 
private  soldiers  are  fed  and  clothed  by  the  govern- 
ment and  allowed  a  very  small  amount  of  spend- 
ing money  in  the  western  provinces,  30  cents  in 
silver  per  week. 

In  the  provinces  of  the  east  that  we  visited  there 
appears  to  be  little  or  no  friction  between  the  civil 
and  military  classes.  Officers  and  privates,  as  far 
as  we  could  observe,  treat  civilians  with  considera- 
tion. In  the  provinces  of  Ilocos  Sur  and  Union 
there  is  a  marked  difference.  The  officers  were 
more  domineering.  In  traveling  in  these  prov- 
inces we  had  many  opportunities  to  observe  this 
attitude.  When  accidents  happened  to  our  car- 
riage the  officer  commanding  our  escort  called  to 
our  assistance  every  native  in  sight,  and  if  they  did 
not  answer  his  call  promptly,  we  saw  him  strike 
them  with  his  riding  whip.  One  man  had  a  ser- 
ious wound  on  his  face  where  an  officer  had  struck 
him  with  his  pistol  butt ;  he  came  to  us  for  redress 
after  having  appealed  in  vain  to  the  military  offi- 


THE   MILITARY    ELEMENT.  19$ 

cer  in  command  of  the  town.  An  order  from  Don 
Emilio  Aguinaldo,  dated  October  18,  1898,  calls 
the  attention  of  his  officers  to  the  evils  of  this  prac- 
tice and  ordered  them  to  correct  it  in  themselves 
and  to  instruct  all  sergeants  corporals  and  privates 
on  the  attitude  they  should  maintain  toward  civil- 
ians. 

Of  the  large  number  of  officers,  civil  and  mili- 
tary, and  of  leading  townspeople  we  met,  nearly 
every  man  expressed  in  our  presence  his  sentiments 
upon  the  question  of  independence.  They  desire 
the  protection  of  the  United  States  at  sea,  but  fear 
any  interference  on  land.  The  question  of  the  re- 
muneration of  our  government  for  the  expense  of 
establishing  a  protectorate  was  never  touched 
upon.  On  this  subject  of  independence  there  is, 
again,  a  marked  difference  between  the  four  prov- 
inces first  visited  and  those  of  Ilocos  Sur  and  La 
Union.  In  the  former  there  was  more  enthusiasm, 
the  sentiment  was  more  of  the  people;  in  the  lat- 
ter it  was  that  of  the  higher  class  and  of  the  army. 
In  some  provinces  I  saw  signs  of  actual  discontent 
with  the  existing  state  of  things. 

There  was  much  variety  of  feeling  among  the 
natives  with  regard  to  the  debt  of  gratitude  that 
they  owed  the  United  States.  In  every  town  I 
found  men  who  said  our  nation  had  saved  them 


'96  THROUGH    LUZON. 

from  slavery,  and  others  who  claimed  that  without 
our  interference  their  independence  would  have 
been  recognized.  On  one  point  they  seemed 
united,  viz. :  that  whatever  our  government  may 
have  done  for  them  it  had  not  gained  the  right  to 
annex  them.  They  had  been  prejudiced  against 
us  by  the  Spaniards.  The  charges  made  were  so 
numerous  and  so  severe  that  what  the  natives  had 
since  learned  was  not  sufficient  to  disillusion  them. 
With  regard  to  our  policy  toward  a  subject  people, 
they  had  received  remarkable  information  on  two 
points;  that  we  have  mercilessly  slain  and  finally 
exterminated  the  race  of  Indians  that  were  native 
to  our  soil,  and  that  we  went  to  war  in  1861  to  sup- 
press an  insurrection  of  negro  slaves  whom  we  also 
ended  by  extermination.  Intelligent  and  well  in- 
formed men  have  believed  these  charges.  They 
were  rehearsed  to  us  in  many  towns  in  different 
provinces,  beginning  at  Malolos.  The  Spanish  ver- 
sion of  our  Indian  problem  is  particularly  well 
known. 

The  Philippine  government  had  an  organized 
military  force  in  every  province  we  visited.  They 
claim  it  extended  also  into  Ilocos  Norte,  Abra, 
Lepanto,  Bontoc,  and  Benguet.  With  regard  to 
its  existence  in  Ilocos  and  Benguet  I  can  speak 
with  assurance. 


THE   MILITARY   ELEMENT.  19? 

We  met  two  officers  with  the  rank  of  captain 
who  were  regularly  stationed  at  Laoag,  the  capital 
ciy  of  Ilocos  Norte,  and  also  the  commandante  of 
the  province  of  Benguet.  The  latter  officer  had 
come  to  San  Fernando  to  obtain  instructions  from 
General  Tino,  and  was  about  to  return  to  Trinidad, 
the  capital  of  that  province.  The  number  of  troops 
under  arms  can  only  be  given  approximately. 
There  were  comparatively  few  in  Neuva  Ecija;  an 
estimated  number  of  not  over  three  hundred.  In 
the  military  district  embracing  the  province  of 
Neuva  Vizcaya,  Isabela  and  Cagayan,  Colonel  Tir- 
ona,  Commandante  Leyba,  and  Commandante  Vil- 
la agreed  in  giving  the  number  of  soldiers  under 
arms  actually,  as  2,000. 

An  estimate,  founded  on  the  size  of  the  garrisons 
in  the  town  we  visited,  would  bring  the  number 
nearly  up  to  that  figure.  In  the  western  military 
districts  the  forces  were  about  double  that  number, 
leaving  out  those  stationed  in  the  interior  provinces 
of  Abra,  Lepanto  and  Bontoc,  of  which  I  know 
nothing  positively.  In  the  coast  provinces  of  Ilocos 
Norte,  Ilocos  Sur  and  Union,  a  conservative  esti- 
mate of  forces  is  3,500.  In  most  pueblos  the  garri- 
son was  but  little  larger  than  those  in  the  towns  of 
the  western  districts;  but  there  were  many  bar- 
rios, each  one  of  which  had  its  guard  of  soldiers, 


198  THROUGH    LUZON. 

never  less  than  twelve.  In  the  eastern  military 
district  we  met  not  more  than  twenty-five  officers 
and  in  the  western  district  over  sixty.  There  were 
rifles  enough  for  all,  principally  Remingtons,  but 
many  Mausers.  In  every  cuartel  there  were  at 
least  as  many  rifles  as  there  were  soldiers  in  the 
garrison.  The  arms  are  more  numerous  in  the 
eastern  than  in  the  western  provinces,  and  it  is  safe 
to  estimate  the  number  of  rifles  in  the  eastern  dis- 
!  trict  as  at  least  twice  the  number  of  soldiers.  Com- 
mandante  Villa  and  other  officers  made  the 
statement  that  40,000  rifles  were  being  distributed 
among  the  people  of  that  district,  but  we  saw  no 
proof  of  this  statement.  Ammunition  was  said  to 
be  plentiful,  and  it  appeared  so  from  the  fact  that 
the  soldiers  used  it  freely  in  hunting  for  deer. 

With  regard  to  the  total  force  of  the  Philippine 
army,  actual  and  reserve,  I  cannot  speak  from  my 
knowledge.  Colonel  Tirona  claimed  that  200,000 
men  from  all  the  islands  could  be  put  in  the  field 
well  armed,  and  several  other  officers  independent- 
ly gave  the  same  figure.  Every  officer  that  we  saw 
carried  a  Spanish  sword  and  revolver.  They  wear 
these  weapons  constantly,  but  regard  them  with 
contempt,  prefering  the  bolo  at  close  quarters.  The 
"Philippina,"  which  was  at  Aparri  during  our  visit 
carried  two  guns  of  a  caliber  of  about  three  inches. 


THE   MILITARY   ELEMENT.  199 

These  were  the  only  guns  we  saw,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  two  revolving  cannons  in  the  palacio  of 
Malolos.  The  Spanish  had  left  numerous  stock- 
ades in  the  wilder  regions,  and  the  natives  built  a 
few  others.  There  were  also  numerous  barricades 
thrown  up  during  the  insurrection,  but  in  the 
towns  the  Spaniards  defended  themselves  in  the 
houses  for  want  of  other  protection.  The  military 
spirit  pervaded  in  the  eastern  district,  where  every 
town  and  barrio  had  organized  companies  of  its 
children,  which  were  being  drilled  under  arms. 
The  officers  have  had  no  military  education  except 
that  which  they  gained  during  the  insurrection. 
Spanish  drill  tactics  were  used,  and  most  of  the  of- 
ficers were  still  studying  the  elementary  text  book. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

IN  CONCLUSION. 

FEW  comprehended  the  extent  of  the  Island 
of  Luzon.  The  Spaniards  wrote  but  little 
about  it,  and  one  of  their  writers  says  the 
Germans  have  more  complete  books  and  a  better 
library  concerning  the  island  than  Spain  itself.  The 
interior  has  been  neglected  in  the  researches  al- 
ready made,  by  most  authors,  but  Manila  is  well 
known  and  fully  described;  the  mode  of  life  and 
the  inhabitants  are  familiar  to  those  who  have  tak- 
en an  interest  in  the  archipelago.  While  the  hab- 
its of  the  people  seem  so  different  from  those  in 
colder  latitudes,  a  short  residence  in  the  torrid 
zone  induces  one  to  easily  fall  into  the  ways  which 
are  customary  in  tropical  spheres.  The  usual  sies- 
ta in  the  middle  of  the  day  is  a  means  of  avoiding 
the  heat  of  the  sun,  but  when  one  considers  it, 
there  is  just  so  much  to  be  accomplished  daily,  and 
it  really  doesn't  matter  whether  the  hours  selected 
are  very  early  in  the  morning  and  late  in  the  eve- 

200 


IN   CONCLUSION.  aoi 

ning  with  a  rest  during  the  most  trying  part  of 
the  twenty-four  hours,  or  the  regulation  period  of 
more  northern  climes. 

As  to  the  character  of  the  natives,  it  is  much  the 
same  in  all  parts  of  Luzon,  though  in  sentiment 
there  is  a  wide  range,  as  would  naturally  be  the 
case  among  different  classes  of  people  in  any  coun- 
try. Local  conditions  influence  their  feelings  in 
such  a  manner,  that  what  would  be  beneficial  for 
one  district  might  be  the  opposite  for  another. 

The  women  are  generally  hard-working,  amia- 
ble, meek  and  attentive  to  their  duties.  Some 
handle  a  needle  with  exquisite  ease  and  skill,  mak- 
ing rare  handkerchiefs  of  the  pina  cloth  of  great 
value,  specimens  of  which  having  been  sold  for 
three  and  four  hundred  dollars ;  the  texture  so  fine 
a  magnifying  glass  only  bringing  out  the  delicacy 
of  the  innumerable  threads.  The  incessant  weeks 
of  labor  on  these  articles  only  shows  how  atten- 
tive and  zealous  these  women  are  in  their  indus- 
try. 

The  men,  considering  the  climate,  are  good 
workers,  and  like  human  beings  the  world  over, 
instinctively  adjust  themselves  to  conditions  pro- 
vided by  nature.  They  are  not  phlegmatic,  but  ra- 
ther nervous  and  active.  In  the  interior  I  found 
them  to  possess  great  endurance,  carrying  heavy 


202  THROUGH    LUZON. 

loads  on  their  backs  all  day  and  sleeping  but  little 
at  night. 

Mestizos,  or  the  class  with  foreign  and  native 
blood,  form  an  exceedingly  important  part  of  the 
population,  one  authority  claiming  there  are  a  half 
million  of  Chinese  Mestizos,  but  this  is  questioned, 
although  this  mixture  is  by  far  the  greatest  pro- 
portion of  the  whole.  Chinese  marry  native 
women  and  have  large  families,  and  after  some 
years'  residence — when  sufficient  wealth  is  accum- 
ulated— it  is  but  with  few  exceptions  they  don't 
abandon  them  and  return  to  China.  The  Chinese 
Mestizo  is  generally  shrewder  in  business  than  oth- 
ers of  mixed  blood. 

The  soil  is  deep  and  rich,  frequent  rains  washing 
into  the  valleys  and  plains  a  ceaseless  supply  of  fer- 
tilization, but  the  methods  of  cultivation  are  crude, 
being  done  by  the  easy  going  caribao  dragging  a 
plow  made  of  a  sharpened  stick  sometimes  pointed 
with  a  piece  of  iron.  In  the  plains  of  the  provinces 
of  Isabela  and  Cagayan  there  remain  great  tracts 
of  virgin  soil,  nothing  but  wild  grass  filling  a  large 
part  of  this  vast  area  of  nearly  three  million  and 
a  half  acres  of  teritory.  No  part  is  very  dif- 
ficult of  access,  the  Rio  Grande  and  other  naviga- 
ble streams  furnishing  a  waterway  to  the  sea. 


IN   CONCLUSION.  203 

The  forests  are  extensive  and  valuable,  having 
been  but  little  drawn  upon  up  to  the  present  time, 
and  scarcely  penetrated  in  many  localities.  There 
are  various  kinds  of  hard  woods  with  specific  grav- 
ity so  great  they  will  not  float,  but  the  widely  dis- 
tributed bamboo — and  rattan  as  a  substitute  for 
nails — and  the  fronds  of  the  nipa  palm  for  roofs, 
furnish  the  principal  material  for  construction,  and 
these  are  as  ceaselessly  supplied  by  nature  as  cease- 
lessly taken  away. 

In  the  mountains  there  is  much  to  be  discovered, 
but  as  to  mineral  wealth  I  am  not  assured  the  pros- 
pect is  inviting  for  development  of  large  bodies  of 
ores  in  paying  quantities.  From  the  "Guia  offi- 
cial" I  translate  the  following  in  regard  to  the  geo- 
logy of  the  island : 

"The  geological  study  of  the  Philippines  com- 
menced some  years  ago,  but  has  been  followed  in 
a  dilatory  way  for  lack  of  personal  and  other  means 
of  completing  it.  Up  to  the  present,  only  some 
partial  studies  have  been  published,  generally  those 
relating  to  volcanic  action,  and  the  uncompleted 
work  of  the  Islands  of  Cebu  and  Panay,  together 
with  that  which  is  being  finished  of  the  central  part 
of  Luzon. 

"With  the  scanty  data  which  is  now  available  an 
idea  can  hardly  be  formed  of  the  geology  of  the 


a>4  THROUGH    LUZON. 

islands.  It  is  know  that  in  the  archipelago  there 
exists  crystalline  slates,  represented  by  gneiss,  talc, 
mica  and  others,  with  very  old  eruptive  rocks,  such 
as  diorite  and  diabase.  It  is  also  known  that  there 
are  tertiary  formations  composed  of  conglomer- 
ates, gravel,  clay  and  lime,  with  coal  and  numer- 
ous volcanic  formations,  as  well  as  tertiary  and  con- 
temporaneous, characterized  by  trachyte,  andesite 
and  basalt,  with  spongy  stone  of  these  same  rocks; 
and  those  alluvial  and  diluvial.  No  evidence  is 
found  at  the  present  time  that  leads  to  the  certain- 
ty of  the  presence  of  rocks  comprised  between  the 
crystalline  and  tertiary  periods,  and  therefore  it  is 
supposed  that  during  the  long  process  of  time  of 
these  geological  epochs,  the  islands  were  composed 
of  other  smaller  ones,  which  were  united  to  form 
those  known  to-day  of  greater  size. 

"For  example.  Luzon  was  once  represented  by 
three  islands  in  the  form  of  a  horseshoe,  consisting 
of  the  Caraballo  and  Sierra  Madre  Mountains. 
During  the  tertiary  epoch,  the  volcanic  action 
commenced  to  manifest  itself  with  colossal  mag- 
nitude, forming  the  Cordilleras  and  Mountains  of 
Marivels  and  not  only  deposited  enormous  quan- 
tities of  volcanic  scoria,  but  elevated  the  sub- 
merged surroundings  of  the  ancient  coast  of  the 
crystalline  islands  and  coral  reefs,  to  the  altitude  of 


IN  CONCLUSION.  207 

4,000  feet,  which  is  found  at  Trinidad,  the  capital 
of  Benguet.  All  of  this  volcanic  material,  sedi- 
mentary and  coral,  produced  a  union  of  the  three 
small  islands  of  Luzon,  as  also  it  must  have  united 
others  similar  in  Panay  and  the  large  islands  of  the 
archipelago ;  but  at  the  same  time  forming  a  multi- 
tude of  smaller  ones,  purely  volcanic,  or  of  coral 
reefs,  giving  the  Philippines  its  present  geological 
aspect." 

Of  the  numerous  products  of  the  soil  it  can  be 
said  they  flourish  amazingly.  Rice,  corn  and  veg- 
etables are  grown  for  local  consumption ;  those  for 
export  are  of  great  importance,  hemp  and  sugar 
leading,  followed  by  tobacco  and  copra,  (the  dried 
meat  of  the  cocoanut)  which  is  much  in  demand 
for  oil  and  making  fine  soaps  and  cosmetics.  The 
ripe  fruit  of  the  cocoanut  is  made  into  large  rafts 
and  floated  down  the  rivers  to  market,  and  the 
groves  of  these  palms  are  a  very  profitable  source 
of  revenue.  A  man  with  one  of  these  groves  can 
sit  under  his  own  "vine  and  fig  tree"  and  watch 
nature,  the  worker,  making  him.  richer  day  by  day 
with  no  effort  on  his  part. 

Cocoa  and  coffee  do  not  exceed  much  the  local 
requirements  of  the  people  at  present,  notwith- 
standing how  well  adapted  the  soil  in  the  foot 
hills  is  for  the  growing  of  these  two  almost  neces- 
sary articles  of  commerce. 

12 


2o8  THROUGH    LUZON. 

Quite  as  interesting,  if  not  so  largely  exploited, 
is  the  pineapple  fiber,  from  which  delicate  pina 
cloth  is  woven.  The  threads,  or  hairs,  are  exceed- 
ingly fine,  and  after  careful  preparation  are  put 
upon  a  rough  hand  loom,  the  fabric  produced  being 
the  most  exquisite  that  can  be  had  for  the  finest 
embroidered  handkerchiefs  and  women's  dresses. 
Some  of  the  specimens  exhibited  for  sale  in  Ma- 
nila are  so  valuable  as  to  be  worth  many,  many 
times  their  weight  in  gold.  I  saw  a  woman  at 
work  on  a  piece  of  pina  in  a  frame,  the  windows 
being  closed  to  keep  the  stirring  air  from  moving 
the  threads,  so  delicate  were  they.  She  told  me 
of  having  already  worked  six  months  on  this  and  it 
was  yet  a  year  before  finally  completed ;  this  piece 
not  more  than  a  foot  and  a  half  square.  How 
much  it  would  stimulate  the  gathering  of  this  fiber 
by  sending  it  to  the  United  States  for  manufacture 
on  modern  looms,  remains  to  be  proven  by  actual 
experiment. 

Horses,  cattle  and  sheep  seem  to  flourish  with 
scarcely  no  attention  whatever,  grass  being  every- 
where as  plentiful  as  water.  The  carabao  is  the 
working  animal,  Providence  having  selected  this 
beast  as  peculiarly  fitted  for  the  soil  and  climate. 
Where  the  land  is  dry  the  native  has  a  pond  or 
mud  hole  for  the  carabao  to  lie  in  during  the  time 


IN  CONCLUSION.  209 

his  owner  is  enjoying  a  siesta,  and  they  work  most 
harmoniously  together  with  a  seeming  mysterious 
understanding  one  of  the  other. 

Good  roads  are  the  greatest  crying  need  of  the 
island,  and  some  sort  of  poll  tax  to  aid  construction 
is  a  necessary  means  of  cheapening  the  cost  of 
transportation  from  the  fields  to  market.  They 
can't  be  built  in  a  day,  but  a  regularly  planned  sys- 
tem of  highways  connecting  important  points,  is 
a  certain  means  of  rapid  development,  as  shown  by 
the  condition  of  the  towns  on  the  road  built  along 
the  west  coast  by  the  Spanish  government  many 
years  ago,  when  Spain  must  have  forgotten  herself 
in  a  moment  of  intelligent  thought.  Our  New 
England  ancestors  appreciated  this  by  the  post- 
roads  still  in  use  in  some  eastern  states,  a  monu- 
ment to  their  foresight. 

I  have  emphasized  the  great  need  of  railways, 
and  it  is  so  pressing  the  government  may  find  itself 
justified  in  aiding  the  building  of  a  main  line 
through  the  interior.  It  would  be  hailed  with  de- 
light by  the  native  inhabitants,  who  are  fond  of 
traveling  from  place  to  place  in  seach  of  amuse- 
ment, or  spending  their  money  in  new  and  novel 
ways.  It  would  thereby  bring  them  into  close 
knowledge  of  each  other,  and  thus  learn  of  what- 
ever advancement  is  in  progress,  in  different  com- 


2io  THROUGH    LUZON. 

munities,  to  say  nothing  of  the  commercial  ad- 
vantages derived  from  opening  large  tracts  of  ara- 
ble territory  for  the  development  of  which  a  vast 
amount  of  American  machinery  would  be  necessa- 
ry. I  think  it  is  admitted  that  the  railroad  is  the 
greatest  of  all  civilizers. 

An  important  matter,  not  to  be  forgotten,  is  the 
rapid  spread  of  the  English  language  by  railway 
building.  Business  being  done  and  accounts  kept 
in  English  will  perforce  induce  the  native  to  has- 
tily acquire  it  for  obtaining  employment,  as  they 
have  Spanish. 

Manila  is  one  of  the  most  important  shipping 
ports  in  the  far  east,  and  it  would  seem  a  good  base 
for  a  starting  point  for  spreading  American  influ- 
ence and  commerce  throughout  the  whole  conti- 
guous countries  of  the  orient. 

It  is  difficult  to  form  a  distinct  idea  of  whatever 
territory  of  the  tropics,  says  some  writer,  without 
having  visited  it  and  gone  through  the  forests  and 
vegetation,  the  most  gigantic  and  magnificent  of 
the  east,  where  the  panorama  of  nature  shows  at 
each  step  innumerable  pictures  of  grandure  that 
exist,  and  when  once  seen,  never  forgotten. 

Many  points  are  favorable  in  Luzon  for  man,  in 
passing  his  dreamy  life  away  in  full  fruition  of  ease 
and  comfort,  in  whose  happy  clime  his  needs  grow 


IN  CONCLUSION.  aij 

at  his  doorway  where  hunger,  and  cold,  misery  and 
want,  are  unknown  quantities. 

As  to  the  future  condition  of  the  island,  there 
are  a  dozen  theories.  But  time  is  a  great  healer  of 
political  wounds,  and  I  incline  to  the  belief  that  at 
no  very  distant  date  this  problem  will  be  properly 
solved  by  the  good  judgment  of  the  people  of  the 
United  States  as  represented  by  those  in  authority. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

APPENDIX. 

THE  views  of  an  Englishman,  long  a  resident 
of  Manila,  published  the  following  in  a 
newspaper  of  that  city,  and  also  gave  val- 
uable evidence  before  the  Philippine  Commission. 
His  views  are  so  concise  I  have  added  them  to  this 
book.  He  says:  *  *  *  The  power  of  the  priests 
is  now  gone,  and  Spanish  rule  follows  in  its  wake 
as  an  impossibility  under  the  present  circum- 
stances. From  the  foregoing  and  owing  to  the  in- 
nate corruption  in  the  administration  of  the  colo- 
ny's resources,  the  rebellion  of  August,  1896,  in 
progress  for  ten  years  previously,  broke  out,  and 
might  have  overturned  the  government  then  but 
for  weak  leading,  and  the  unpreparedness  of  the 
rebels  to  fight,  as  the  Spanish  in  all  the  islands,  a 
large  proportion  of  them  in  Mindanao,  only  num- 
bered 3,000,  their  other  forces  consisting  of  some 
14,000  natives;  a  strong  hand  could,  however, 
nipped  the  thing  in  the  bud  there  and  then,  but 

214 


APPENDIX.  215 

the  Governor  General,  Blanco,  was  mildly  disposed 
and  with  the  few  whites  at  his  command  and  fear- 
ing a  rising  among  his  natives,  he  looked  upon 
discretion  as  the  better  part  of  valor  until  he 
should  get  reinforcements  from  the  Mother  Coun- 
try to  enable  him  to  dispense  with  the  services  of 
the  natives  troops,  the  disaffected  among  them  be- 
ing in  the  meantime  disarmed. 

His  policy  was  not  universally  approved,  and  his 
opponents  plotted  at  court  and  got  him  removed. 
Shortly  thereafter  his  successor,  Polavieja,  turned 
up  with  some  reinforcements,but  they  were  raw  re- 
cruits that  had  to  be  drilled  into  shape  and  while 
they  were  being  prepared  the  rebels  were  strongly 
intrenching  themselves,  chiefly  in  the  province  of 
Cavite.  It  required  energetic  measures  to  dis- 
lodge them,  but  Polavieja  was  equal  to  the  occa- 
sion, and  after  going  at  them  vigorously,  a  hue  and 
cry  of  "cruelty"  was  put  forth  by  the  priests  and 
their  friends  and  he  in  his  turn  was  recalled. 

Then  followed  the  famous  Primo  de  Revera  who 
arrived  in  April,  1897.  He  took  effective  meas- 
ures to  quell  the  insurrection  and  succeeded  well, 
but  his  finishing  stroke  was  most  unfortunate.  He 
got  tired  of  the  country  and  wished  to  go  to  Spain, 
but  with  a  feather  in  his  cap  for  effectually  closing 
the  rebellion,  so  he  got  instructions  from  Madrid 


2'6  THROUGH    LUZON. 

to  adopt,  at  his  discretion,  one  of  two  alternatives, 
force  or  buying  off  the  rebels  for  laying  down  their 
arms.  As  bad  luck  would  have  it  he  chose  the  lat- 
ter, while  the  other  was  quite  feasible,  the  few  dis- 
banded insurgents  having  been  reduced  almost  to 
the  last  extremity,  no  food,  but  few  arms,  and  no 
money  to  go  on  with  a  more  favorable  opportunity 
to  settle  the  thing  for  many  years  to  come  could 
hardly  present  itself.  But  as  is  "charitably"  sur- 
mised, the  paying  off  suited  Primo's  pocket  better 
than  the  other  alternative,  and  he  concluded  the 
celebrated  "Pacto  de  Bic-na-Bato,"  the  full  text  of 
which  was  kept  secret,  but  the  contents  oozed  out 
gradually,  the  principal  item  being,  after  the  ex- 
pulsion of  the  friars,  a  cash  payment  of  $800,000, 
one-half  in  Hong  Kong  and  the  balance  in  the 
Philippines,  upon  the  few  remaining  rebels  laying 
down  their  arms,  the  leaders,  thirty-five  to  forty 
in  number,  agreeing  to  reside  outside  the  island 
and  not  to  return  without  the  consent  of  the  Phil- 
ippine government  in  due  form,  six  months  from 
December,  1897,  being  allowed  to  either  side  to 
complete  the  contract.  The  government  placed 
the  Hong  Kong  half  of  the  money  at  Aguinaldo's 
disposal  in  due  course,  but  how  the  other  half  went 
seems  not  to  have  been  satisfactorily  explained; 
possibly  Primo  or  some  tarry-fingered  gentleman 


APPENDIX.  ;7 

in  his  confidence  could  tell.  Anyhc  *,  trie  money 
is  said  to  have  left  the  treasury,  and  many  of  the 
rebels  are  said  to  have  complained  of  not  getting 
their  share.  The  expulsion  of  the  friars  was  vetoed 
from  Madrid,  and  the  Hong  Kong  portion  of  the 
bribe,  partly  at  least,  were  used  by  the  rebels  to 
purchase  fresh  arms  with  which  to  prosecute  the 
rebellion. 

Before  the  six  months  were  up,  each  side  accus- 
ing the  other  of  non-fulfillment  of  the  compact,  the 
rebellion  started  again  with  more  vigor  than  ever. 
Meantime  Don  Primo  was  relieved,  but  ordered  to 
await  the  arrival  of  his  successor,  Signer  Augustin, 
and  after  Augustine's  arrival,  was,  in  view  of  his 
having  cried  "peace,  peace,  when  there  was  no 
peace,"  ordered  to  await  further  instructions  from 
the  Supreme  government  before  quitting  the  coun- 
try. Don  Primo  telegraphed,  asking  if  the  order 
was  imperative,  but  without  giving  time  for  a  re- 
ply he  embarked  by  the  direct  boat  for  Spain,  leav- 
ing poor  Augustin  in  the  pickle  of  having  to  cope 
with  the  rebels  and  the  declaration  of  war  by 
America  a  few  hours  later.  The  man  naturally 
considered  himself  "sold,"  and  Primo  landed  in 
Barcelona  "incog,"  his  present  whereabouts  being 
uncertain.  He  is  said  to  have  denied,  at  home, 
having  made  an  alleged  compact  with  the  rebels, 


ai8  THROUGH    LUZON. 

but  that  he  did  make  it  there  is  no  doubt  what- 
ever, while  he  flunked  facing  the  consequences. 

The  next  big  mistake  made  in  this  rebel  business 
was  by  the  Americans  in  having  had  anything  to 
do  with  Aguinaldo,  and  the  mistake  will  at  once  be 
apparent  when  it  can  be  demonstrated  as  clear  as 
daylight  that  the  Americans  could  have  done  all 
they  did  without  any  rebel  aid.  Now,  however, 
it  is  not  quite  so  easy  to  get  rid  of  the  inconvenient 
connection — Aguinaldo,  a  deified,  ignorant  Indian 
with  a  swollen  head,  but  empty  for  all  practical 
purposes.  Timidity  verging  on  cowardice  is  his 
chief  characteristic.  He  never  fought  a  battle  in 
his  life,  and  is  afraid  to  leave  his  room  for  fear  of 
being  "knifed"  by  some  kind  countryman  whom 
he  has  wronged.  A  further  mistake  was  in  letting 
him  have  any  part  in  reducing  the  Spaniards  in 
their  trenches  or  in  the  entrance  upon  the  taking 
of  Manila  on  the  I3th  of  August.  Before  this  day 
the  rebels  should  have  been  ordered  away  at  least 
ten  miles  and  their  arms  taken  from  them,  fasten- 
ing them  down  to  accomplished  facts  as  they 
are  no  more  fit  to  govern  than  "a  flock  of  goats" 
would  be. 

The  chiefs  of  the  rebels  are  pettyfogging  law- 
yers known  among  them  as  "abogadilles,"  hang- 
ers on  at  the  petty  courts,  stirring  up  strife  among 


APPENDIX.  219 

the  litigants  to  encourage  suits  and  considered  a 
"pest  to  the  colony,"  as  their  aim  is  to  squeeze  as 
much  money  as  possible  out  of  the  lieges  with  the 
least  possible  labor  to  themselves.  This  life  has 
inured  them  to  the  idea  that  as  they  are  of  the 
"learned  professions,  "  it  would  be  infra  dig  to 
work.  It  would  be  a  fine  thing  to  have  a  native 
government  with  a  post  in  it  where  they  could  rob 
and  steal  ad  lib.,  and  live  on  the  fat  of  the  land  at 
the  public  expense.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  the 
end  would  be  very  shortly  that  of  the  "Kilkenny 
Cats"  without  a  doubt.  It  would  be  a  mistake  to 
temporize  with  people  of  such  low  intelligence,  as 
they  cannot  understand  leniency  from  Europeans 
unless  on  the  supposition  that  it  is  due  to  fear.  In 
the  great  Indian  mutiny  the  British  were  severely 
criticised  the  world  over  for  blowing  rebels  from 
the  cannon's  mouth,  but  it  was  the  only  way,  and 
their  sway  has  been  ever  since  undisturbed,  prac- 
tically governing  250,000,000  with  an  army  of 
only  70,000,  including  Sepoys,  Sikhs,  Goorkhs  and 
Europeans.  The  Spaniards  should  have  been  se- 
verer in  discipline  while  just  in  treatment,  and  then 
these  wretched  semi-savages  would  not  have  got- 
ten the  upper  hand. 

The  proportions  reached  by  the  present  rising  is 
without  doubt  due  to  encouragement  at  the  begin- 


M°  THROUGH    LUZON. 

ning  from  the  Americans,  and  the  situation  thus 
created  imposes  upon  them  the  obligation  of  re- 
storing order  and  of  not  leaving  the  islands  unless 
replaced  by  a  strong  government  of  Europeans, 
that  of  Spain  being  out  of  the  question,  and  the 
natives  might  be  ripe  for  such  a  responsibility 
about  the  year  2000,  i.  e.,  when  the  present  and 
three  more  generations  shall  have  disappeared,  it 
being  calculated  that  this  time  is  necessary  to  erad- 
icate the  pernicious  effects  of  priestly  rule,  a  uni- 
formly immoral  administration  in  church  and  state, 
and  to  spread  sound  education  and  teach  habits  of 
honest  industry  among  the  people. 

A  great  writer  described  the  Spaniards  generally 
as  "full  of  honor  without  honesty,  full  of  religion 
without  morality,  and  full  of  pride  without  any- 
thing to  be  proud  of,"  and  the  average  native  may 
be  said  to  have  picked  up  and  appropriated  all  that 
is  bad  in  the  European  and  nothing  of  the  good, 
being  adept  at  lying,  stealing,  gambling,  and  all 
other  vices  imaginable,  with  indolence  to  a  fault, 
good  dancers  and  a  good  ear  for  music.  There  are 
a  good  few,  it  is  true,  who  are  peaceable  workers, 
and  these  are  an  exception  to  the  general  descrip- 
tion here  given.  Many  make  useful  and  efficient 
clerks  in  merchant's  offices,  banks  and  other  places 
of  business.  Some  are  capital  imitators  of  Euro- 


A  TYPE  OF   NATIVE. 


APPENDIX.  223 

pean  art  in  silver  and  gold  work,  wood  carving, 
etc.,  and  there  are  thousands  of  good  agricultural 
laborers  throughout  these  islands.  As  a  fighter 
not  much  can  be  said  for  him  in  a  face  to  face  en- 
counter, his  fortress  being  the  "bolo"  and  stabbing 
in  the  back,  and  why  the  Spaniards  did  not  put 
down  the  rising  at  the  outset  can  be  only  due  to 
the  latter  having  forgotten,  if  they  ever  knew,  what 
modern  warfare  is,  as  in  the  last  five  months  their 
bearing  so  much  lauded  consisted  in  their  hiding 
in  trenches,  much  of  their  time  up  to  their  hinder 
parts  in  water,  to  be  "swiped"  by  the  rebels,  who 
from  behind  clumps  of  bamboos  show  their  fiercest 
fire  by  letting  off  Chinese  crackers  at  night  time, 
never  showing  face  during  the  day.  The  Span- 
iards at  starting,  in  the  most  innocent  fashion,  al- 
lowed themselves  to  be  surrounded  by  the  rebels, 
who  made  prisoners  of  this  big  half  of  their  force 
of  about  12,000,  and  then  they  had  too  few  left  to 
attack,  and  could  only  be  on  the  defensive,  and  re- 
turning from  trench  to  trench  before  the  Indians, 
the  cry  being  "The  Spaniards  retreating,  retreat- 
ing— the  natives  advancing,  advancing." 

Now  the  Americans  are  in  possession  of  these 
much  coveted  islands,  this  problem  comes  to  be 
how  best  to  turn  this  valuable  acquisition  to  ac- 
count, and  at  a  glance  it  will  be  seen  that  the  re- 


224  THROUGH    LUZON. 

bellion  once  got  under  and  the  rebels  disarmed — 
a  sine  qua  non — as  at  present  there  are  two  gov- 
ernments in  full  swing,  the  rebels  ruling  and  col- 
lecting all  taxes  from  the  outskirts  of  Manila  into 
the  interior,  and  the  Americans  the  few  taxes  of 
the  city  and  port,  a  state  of  things  that  cannot  be 
allowed  to  last  much  longer;  it  will  not  answer  to 
attempt  a  government  on  western  lines  and  ideas 
right  off,  as  habits  and  customs  of  three  centuries 
old  can  not  well  be  changed  in  a  day,  and  it  will 
be  necessary  to  introduce  new  reforms  gradually, 
dovetailing  such  as  far  as  possible  with  existing 
systems. 

What  would  of  course  suit  this  country  is,  of 
course,  the  "open  door,"  which  has  given  such  ad- 
mirable results  in  Singapore,  the  Straits  Settle- 
ments and  Hong  Kong,  the  last  named  only  a  bar- 
ren rock  at  the  start,  but  now  the  third  shipping 
port  of  the  world.  The  policy  recommended  would 
therefore  be  no  custom  house,  no  coast  guard,  thus 
saving  a  vast  amount  in  the  expense  of  govern- 
ment. 

In  regard  to  foreign  labor,  there  is  no  question 
of  competing  with  American  labor  here,  being  no 
such  in  the  country,  nor  can  there  be,  the  climate 
prohibiting  that,  so  the  reported  prohibition  of 
Chinese  immigration  seems  inexplicable,  and  the 


APPENDIX.  225 

law  in  force  in  the  United  States  is  certainly  mis- 
applied in  the  Philippines,  where  cheap  labor  and 
plenty  of  it  is  their  lifeblood.  This  will  be  seen 
where  a  large  proportion  of  the  crops,  sugar  and 
other  produce  is  left  in  the  field  from  want  of  hands 
to  gather  them. 

These  islands,  as  will  be  seen,  are  very  sparsely 
populated.  Luzon  of  a  larger  area  than  England, 
having  only  3  1-2  millions  all  told,  or  a  little  over 
one-tenth  of  England's  figure.  There  is  room  for 
three  to  four  millions  of  Chinese  comfortably, 
whilst  only  200,000  are  the  present  estimate.  The 
place  cannot  get  on  without  them,  and  were  any 
road  making,  railway  or  agriculture  work  being 
done,  at  least  a  million  Chinese  would  be  absorbed 
right  off.  It  seems  ridiculous  that  when  the  Hong 
Kong  scale  of  wages  is  as  follows,  viz. :  Coolies,  25 
to  30  cts.  a  day,  carpenters  50  to  60  cts.,  while  the 
rate  here  is  75  cts.,  $1.25  to  $1.40,  respectively. 
Since  immigration  stopped  a  first  class  cook  in 
Hong  Kong  gets  $12  to  $15,  and  here  an  indiffer- 
ent one  $30  to  $35  a  month. 

The  mire  Pasig  dredged  out  to  the  mouth  of 
the  lake  and  points  cut  down  to  make  the  naviga- 
tion easy  for  decent  passenger  steamers,  would  im- 
mediately attract  capital  to  put  on  daily,  morning 
and  evening  service,  which  the  populace  could 


226  THROUGH    LUZON. 

and  would  gladly  avail  to  pass  their  nights  in  the 
many  cool  spots  ferrying  the  lake,  enjoying  the 
freshest  of  country  air,  the  larger  half  of  the  twen- 
ty-four hours.  Why  should  there  be  any  sickness 
in  this  most  healthful  of  tropical  climates,  when 
by  an  hour  morning  and  evening  in  the  train  one 
could  sleep  in  a  temperature  of  40,  50  or  60  to  his 
liking?  No  heat  in  the  daytime  would  be  felt  af- 
ter a  cool  night,  and  in  a  very  short  time  this  de- 
sirable basin  of  water,  the  "Laguna  de  Bay,"  25  by 
20  miles,  in  its  greatest  dimensions,  would  be  stud- 
ded over  with  jackets  and  pleasure  craft  of  any 
kind,  to  afford  pleasureable  recreation. 

The  short  I2omile  railway  put  down  by  Eng- 
lishmen gives  a  faint  idea  of  what  a  network  of 
railroads  could  do,  but  quite  enough  to  show  what 
a  profitable  investment  such  roads  can  be  in  this 
country  under  a  liberal  up-to-date  government. 
Roads — good  roads — and  railroads  would  send 
these  islands  ahead  by  leaps  and  bounds,  and  ma- 
terial progress  would  be  the  sure  precursor  of  the 
light  of  civilization  shut  out  from  these  unfortun- 
ate parts  by  the  most  selfish  and  despoic  of  govern- 
ments, that  of  the  priest  and  his  dupes.  Why 
European  governments  who  have  been  for  cen- 
turies opening  up  and  civilizing  the  darkest  coun- 
tries should  have  overlooked  the  Philippines 
seems  inexplicable. 


APPENDIX.  2*7 

The  resources  are  practically  unlimited,  and 
when  the  islands  shall  have  been  fully  explored  and 
brought  under  subjection,  the  country  will  pro- 
bably be  found  to  be  the  richest  unexplored  terri- 
tory in  the  known  world.  The  explanation  is  the 
cursed  priest-ridden  government  that  sucked  the 
life-blood  out  of  the  country  now  happily  driven 
out  forever,  but  unfortunately  to  enjoy  the  stolen 
millions  securely  invested  in  every  safe  country  we 
know  of. 

Let  us  take  Luzon  first  to  give  a  faint  idea  of 
known  resources.  In  the  north  a  rich  and  extens- 
ive tobacco  country,  where  qualities  equal  to  Cuba 
can  be  procured,  and  coming  south  the  two  Tlacos 
provinces  are  rich  sugar  and  rice  lands. 

In  the  long  range  of  mountains'  practical- 
ly unexplored,  copper,  iron,  gold,  and  other 
metals  and  minerals  exist,  with  extensive  pine 
forests,  and  land  that  produces  exquisite  pota- 
toes and  all  other  vegetables,  and  a  climate  where 
no  one  could  complain  of  heat  nor  sickness. 

In  his  testimony  before  the  Philippine  Commis- 
sion, Mr.  McLeod,  long  a  resident  of  Manila,  made 
the  following  interesting  statement,  which  I  have 
considered  of  such  importance  that  I  wish  to  add 
it  to  this  book.  He  says  as  follows : 


228  THROUGH    LUZON. 

Mr.  McLeod: — You  have  got  to  make  roads 
where  they  do  not  now  exist,  and  have  to  make 
railways  where  they  do  not  exist.  This  is  the  fin- 
est country  for  railroads  that  I  ever  saw.  The 
Manila-Dagupan  was  a  great  mistake  because  they 
laid  it  too  low.  They  went  on  the  plans  of  the 
Spaniards  and  actually  began  to  build  on  them. 
In  some  parts  they  laid  rails  for  a  mile  and  found 
they  couldn't  go  any  farther  and  had  to  take  an- 
other route,  expending  three  or  four  times  the 
money  they  ought  to  have  with  a  proper  survey. 
For  instance  they  brought  the  line  down  to  a  big 
river  at  Calumpit,  where,  after  going  down  60  feet, 
they  couldn't  find  a  solid  foundation  for  their  cais- 
sons, nor  find  any  bottom  there.  However  they 
put  the  bridge  there  and  the  first  flood  carried  it 
away.  They  had  to  change  the  direction  of  the 
railway  and  go  up  the  river,  where  they  could  find 
bottom,  and  that  one  mistake  cost  $300,000.  This 
road  cost  about  eight  million  dollars  gold  for  the 
1 20  miles,  but  was  guaranteed  by  the  Spanish  gov- 
ernment at  eight  per  cent.,  or  such  portion  of  eight 
per  cent,  as  the  earnings  of  the  company  would  fall 
short  of  that  amount.  I  consider  this  the  finest 
country  in  the  world  for  building  railways,  by  run- 
ning lines  around  the  poulous  villages  from  Tarlac. 
The  present  lack  of  communication  is  the  reason 


APPENDIX.  M9 

for  the  country  being  so  far  behind,  and  the  mo- 
ment you  put  in  a  network  of  railways  there  will  be 
a  nenormous  improvement.  I  had  in  view  a  line 
of  road  up  the  mountains  where  a  sanitorium 
could  be  established,  at  Antipolo.  From  Manila 
as  the  crow  flies  is  about  six  miles.  I  was  just  go- 
to take  a  line  from  Manila  to  Santa  Ana,  crossing 
the  river  at  that  point  and  going  up  to  San  Juan 
and  up  to  Mariquins  and  from  there  to  Antipolo. 
By  that  means  we  take  in  the  populous  villages, 
where  there  is  traffic  all  the  time.  There  in  May 
it  is  a  great  place  for  pilgrims.  It  is  the  shrine  of 
the  virgin,  and  crowds  of  people  go  there  from  all 
parts  of  the  country  to  worship.  We  calculated 
that  without  any  assistance  from  the  government 
at  all,  could  make  it  pay  from  this  pilgrim  business, 
but  when  the  government  saw  that  we  were  going 
to  put  down  the  line  they  exacted  a  deposit  of  a 
large  amount,  much  larger  than  we  had  contem- 
plated. The  elevation  of  Antipolo  is  600  feet,  but 
the  hills  back  of  it  are  three  or  four  times  that 
height,  and  the  climate  is  superb. 

Lack  of  communication  has  been  the  greatest 
drawback  to  the  Philippines,  allowing  vast 
stretches  of  fertile  land  to  remain  idle  for  want  of 
means  of  getting  the  products  to  market.  It  has 
also  caused  the  different  dialects  in  each  province, 


ajo  THROUGH    LUZON. 

and  the  same  would  develop  in  the  United  States 
in  time  if  intermingling  were  prevented  by  roads 
and  railroads,  and  sooner  or  later  each  state  would 
have  a  language  peculiar  to  itself. 

Another  most  important  line  for  which  I  believe 
a  franchise  has  been  asked,  is  from  Manila  to  Bay- 
ombong,  a  distance  of  200  miles,  and  it  would  in- 
crease the  product  100  per  cent,  through  the  dif- 
ferent provinces  and  not  cost  one-half  what  the 
Manila-Dagupan  line  did,  $60,000  per  mile.     This 
road  would  eventually  connect  with  one  coming 
up  the  Rio  Grande  from  Aparri  on  the  north  coast, 
passing  through  the  enormous  provinces  of  Caga- 
yan  and  Isabela — the  former  a  populous  district 
and  rich  in  tobacco,  corn,  timber,  cattle  and  rice. 
The  major  portion  of  tobacco   of  the   Philippines 
comes  from  Isabela,  and  is  of  a  superior  quality, 
This  great  valley  commences  at  Bagabag  and  the 
distance  to  Bayombong  would  not  be  difficult  en- 
gineering to  cross  the  Cordilleras.     The  country 
is  pretty  level  from   Aparri   to   the   base    of   the 
mountains.     The  Cagayan  valley  is  very  extensive, 
lying  between  the  mountains  on  the  extreme  east 
and  the  Cordilleras  on  the  west,  well  drained  and 
comparatively  level,  with  a  great  expanse  of  till- 
able soil.     This  line  in  cutting  through  the  center 
of  Luzon  is  of  great  value  as  a  means  of  opening 


APPENDIX.  231 

the  country  and  bringing  the  people  into  contact 
with  each  other.  Freight  on  the  existing  Manila- 
Dagupan  line  is  not  so  great  a  proportion  of  the 
earnings  as  passenger  business.  The  people  are 
very  fond  of  the  train,  and  the  same  persons  go 
every  day  nearly ;  a  man  with  a  couple  of  chickens 
and  a  basket  will  come  down  and  make  just  enough 
to  go  back  again.  There  is  no  doubt  as  to  the 
fertility  of  the  soil,  and  seems  to  produce  all  kinds 
of  things  without  the  slightest  bother.  The  Phil- 
ippines are  the  richest  places  in  the  East,  and  I 
don't  know  a  thing  that  anybody  owns  which  is 
more  valuable. 

With  feeders  to  the  main  trunk  line  through  the 
Island  of  Luzon,  in  such  places  as  warranted  it, 
treble  the  amount  of  land  thereby  brought  under 
cultivation  will  increase  the  taxable  value  propor- 
tionately with  the  increased  population.  Wood 
for  ties  lay  all  along  the  projected  route  and  labor 
is  cheap,  these  Indians  working  for  32  cents  silver 
a  day  or  about  half  that,  16  cents  in  gold.  The  In- 
dian is  a  fairly  good  worker  when  not  in  competi- 
tion with  the  Chinaman.  The  Chinese  are  an  ever- 
lasting source  of  trouble  and  one  thoroughly  dis- 
liked by  all  natives.  They  have  caused  dissent 
equal  to  that  on  the  Pacific  slope  of  the  United 
States.  You  find  him  everywhere  in  the  provinces 


«3*  THROUGH    LUZON. 

as  small  store  keeper  and  peddlers;  a  curious  fea- 
ture is,  being  so  despised  by  the  men,  they  marry 
Philippine  women,  first  becoming  Catholics  to  do 
so,  and  have  large  families,  which  they  desert  and 
return  to  China  in  a  few  years  after  accumulating  a 
small  fortune.  As  little  as  the  Indian  lives  on,  the 
Chinaman  can  subsist  on  less,  and  never  spends  a 
cent  in  the  country,  but  any  money  he  makes  is  at 
once  remitted  to  China.  In  many  places  they  won't 
have  Chinese  at  all,  but  the  Spaniards  allowed 
them  to  come  in  by  paying  $50  or  $100.  They 
are  useful  but  unpopular  among  the  natives,  and 
the  westejos  are  always  troublesome,  and  all  bad, 
do  not  bring  their  wives,  should  be  excluded  ex- 
laborers  to  perform  certain  contracts,  and  when 
that  was  accomplished  returned  to  their  own  coun- 
try. They  cannot  live  with  the  natives,  as  the  Fili- 
pinos will  kill  them.  Exclusion  will  not  affect  in- 
dustries, 50  cents  a  day  Mexican  or  25  cents  gold. 
Native  spends  all  his  earnings  while  Chinese  drain 
the  country. 

A  Chinese  has  two  principal  motives  for  enter- 
ing the  Catholic  Church:  That  of  possessing  a 
God-father  in  baptism,  who  became  a  sort  of  pro- 
tector for  him ;  and  also  marriage  with  the  woman 
whom  he  loved  and  who  would  refuse  to  live  with 
him  without  the  guarantee  of  Christian  marriage. 


APPENDIX.  233 

Becoming  a  Christian  might  be  considered  a  lux- 
ury with  a  Chinese,  for  in  order  to  do  so  it  is  nec- 
essary for  the  Chinese  to  have  a  considerable  for- 
tune to  give  his  godfather,  as  is  the  custom,  hand- 
some presents,  and  to  pay  the  dues  of  the  church, 
and  afterwards  pay  the  expenses  of  his  house  in 
his  new  condition. 

Once  a  Christian  the  Chinese  found  himself  in 
favorable  circumstances,  on  account  of  the  influ- 
ence of  his  godfather,  who  was  always  chosen  from 
among  the  Spaniards  of  most  prestige  and  best 
position  in  the  country.  To  be  a  Christian  was 
enough  to  insure  his  business  would  progress  with 
greater  security.  All  the  Chinese  who  have  ob- 
tained importance  in  the  Philippines  have  been 
Christians;  their  baptism  was  their  initiation  into 
power.  These  already  established  in  the  country 
with  their  families  take  no  part,  although  they  are 
Christians,  in  the  prayers  and  devotion  of  their 
wives  and  children,  although  they  respect  their 
customs  with  that  tolerance  which  is  usually  met 
in  individuals  of  the  highest  education. 

A  short  study  of  the  importance  of  Chinese 
commerce  shows  how  the  Spanish  government 
favored  them,  and  why  most  righteously,  they 
were  hated  by  the  natives.  They  were  given  right 
to  farm  out  provincial  taxes,  and  other  services 


«J4  THROUGH    LUZON. 

offered  for  public  bidding,  such  as  public  markets, 
slaughter  houses,  inspection  of  weights  and  meas- 
ures, taxes  on  cart  horses,  cockpits,  places  for 
smoking  opium,  etc. 

In  Isabela  and  Cagayan,  a  short  time  before  the 
governmental  tobacco  monopoly  was  abolished, 
there  were  very  few  Chinese,  and  their  action  in 
business  was  insignificant,  and  the  Spanish  gov- 
ernment paid  the  owners  of  the  tobacco  crops 
punctually.  Nevertheless,  a  time  came  in  which 
the  Spanish  administration  was  behind  in  nearly 
all  of  its  payments — principally  in  the  most  im- 
portant ones — and  the  planters  of  these  provinces 
were  among  the  many  victims  of  these  delays. 

The  Chinese  then  took  advantage  of  the  pre- 
carious situation  by  making  usurious  loans  to  those 
who  lacked  the  means  of  realizing  on  their  crops, 
thus  securing  the  business  of  these  fertile  prov- 
inces, both  by  the  means  of  the  capital  which  they 
advanced,  and  in  the  handling  and  monopoly  of 
tobacco.  Their  commercial  supremacy  reached 
such  a  point  that  once  they  had  monopolized  to- 
bacco, almost  every  leaf  which  came  to  Manila 
from  Cagayan  and  Isabela  was  their  property,  and 
they  stored  it  in  the  warehouses  and  sold  it  later  to 
the  factories  already  established  in  the  capital  at  a 
good  profit. 


APPENDIX.  235 

They  were  not  contented  with  the  sale  of  tobac- 
co in  the  leaf  alone,  but  they  also  established  fac- 
tories to  manufacture  it,  thus  causing  other  fac- 
tories which  had  been  in  operation  to  close  up  by 
the  ruinous  competition  which  the  Chinese  raised 
against  them. 

While  the  Chinese  are  no  disturbing  element 
politically,  their  progeny  are  a  bad  lot — the  mesti- 
zos, and  are  constantly  stirring  things  up,  and  the 
hope  of  the  Filipinos  is  their  exclusion  and  pro- 
hibited immigration. 


3  1158  00470  3764 


A    000578 


643 


